Overview

• The BCCI has formally added a Serious Injury Replacement clause to its 2025–26 Playing Conditions, enabling mid-match substitutes for visible external injuries in multi-day domestic cricket.
• Replacements must be like-for-like players drawn from the list of substitutes named at the toss, with a special exemption for wicketkeepers when none are nominated.
• On-field umpires consult match referees and medical staff before making binding decisions on injury validity and substitution approvals.
• Approved replacements inherit any disciplinary warnings, penalty time or suspensions of the injured player, and both participants are credited with a match appearance.
• The rule is set to debut in early red-ball tournaments, with its application in white-ball competitions and the IPL yet to be determined.