The International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved several changes to the rules of international cricket. The decisions were taken during the ICC Board meeting in Ahmedabad over the weekend.
On Saturday and Sunday, the ICC held its annual board meeting on the sidelines of the IPL 2026 final, where Royal Challengers Bangalore defended their IPL title from last year.
The meeting was originally scheduled to be held in Doha at the end of March this year. But war-like situations in the Middle East forced the governing body to postpone the meeting and shift it to Ahmedabad.
ICC approves trial of pink ball for test matches
One of the key rules made by the ICC during its meeting was to allow testing of pink balls even during regular Tests. Currently, the pink ball is used only in day-night Tests, with day Tests being played with the red ball as usual.
Now, the ICC has approved a new rule where the red ball will be replaced with the pink ball even during day tests. Swaps will only occur if bad light persists, and only if both teams agree to do so before the series.
Also read: Shreyas Iyer to face Gautam Gambhir as Rajat Patidar emerges in race for India T20 captaincy
Changes to rules and playing conditions approved by the ICC Board
| Change | Summary |
| pink ball in test | Teams may mutually agree to use the pink ball if bad light is expected in a Test. |
| better lighting solutions | The ICC and MCC will support research to reduce disruption to play caused by poor light. |
| Hawk-Eye Access | Officials can use Hawk-Eye data when reviewing suspicious bowling actions. |
| Coach Interaction | Coaches will be allowed to communicate with players during official drink breaks. |
| T20I interval rules | A fixed break of 15 minutes will be mandatory in T20 international matches. |
| preparation of batsmen | The batsmen must be ready immediately when play starts after the interval. |
| leg-side wide | The use of leg-side wide has been made a permanent rule. |
| MCC Law Update | The latest MCC law changes will be implemented from October 1, 2026. |
| Challenge League position | Challenge League teams may continue to play other List A matches during the tournament cycle. |
Many more to follow…
