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The International Cricket Council (ICC) is contemplating of scrapping the two new balls rule in ODI cricket. The discussions on changing the rule comes seeing the bowlers position, as its change could facilitate reverse swing, which plays a crucial role in the game of cricket.
The talks around its scrapping comes from the recommendation from the ICC’s cricket committee. As per the rule, the bowling side can start with two balls, but can eventually use one from the 25th over. Moreover, there have been a lot of debate over this rule with several former greats of the game like Sachin Tendulkar, Brett Lee, Mitchell Starc and several others also advocating against it.
“Having two new balls in one-day cricket is a perfect recipe for disaster, as each ball is not given the time to get old enough to reverse. We haven’t seen reverse swing, an integral part of the death overs, for a long time,” Tendulkar had earlier stated.
What is the new two-ball rule in IPL?
Speaking of the two-ball rule, which recently came into picture in IPL 2025, is a regulation that aims to permit the use of two different balls, starting from the 11th over in the second innings. This strategic move aims to create a fairer playing field for both batters as well as bowlers, making sure that the bowling side aren’t at a disadvantage.
Traditionally, a single white ball was used throughout each innings in a T20 match. But seeing how dew can play a major role, can be a big factor, sometimes even overturning the results in the penultimate overs of the game.
