ICC may revise two-ball rule in ODIs

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is considering changes to the existing two-ball rule in One Day Internationals (ODIs) in an effort to restore balance between bat and ball. 

During meetings held in Harare this week, the ICC Men's Cricket Committee, led by former India captain Sourav Ganguly, recommended that only one ball be used from the 35th over of an innings. Currently, two new balls are used in ODIs—one from each end—throughout the innings.

According to the new proposal, both balls would still be used for the first 34 overs. But after that point, the fielding side would choose which of the two 17-overs-old balls they want to continue with for the remainder of the innings. The unused ball would be kept as a spare in case it is needed later.

The committee had earlier discussed switching to a single ball after 25 overs, but it was felt that allowing both balls to be used for 17 overs provided a more reasonable balance. Member boards are expected to submit their feedback on the proposed change by the end of April. If a consensus is reached, the new rule could be adopted at the ICC’s annual general meeting in July. Since it is a change to playing conditions, it does not require board-level approval.

The current two-ball rule was introduced in October 2011. Before that, ODIs included a mandatory ball change after the 34th over, using a cleaner but similarly used ball to help batters better see the white ball, which often lost visibility over time.

In addition to the two-ball rule discussion, the ICC is also seeking feedback on the possibility of introducing a 60-second stop clock in Test cricket to tackle slow over-rates. A similar rule is already in place in T20Is and ODIs, where delays are penalized by placing an additional fielder inside the 30-yard circle.

The cricket committee also explored the idea of converting the Under-19 Men’s World Cup from a 50-over format to T20s. However, there was no strong support for this change, and any such move would require formal board approval.

There were also early discussions about awarding bonus points in the World Test Championship. However, most members felt that such a system would be too complex to implement effectively.