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In a significant and much-needed move, the Jay Shah-led International Cricket Council (ICC) has set out a new policy under which women will be able to return to elite cricket after delivery. ICC has launched its ‘Return to Play Post-Pregnancy’ specifically for women cricketers.
Now, with the help of this initiative, women cricketers from the full members of the Council will be able to resume their careers after the break due to pregnancy. To design the policy, the Council has appointed a dedicated case manager, who helps the ICC to formulate guidelines by discussing the matter with all potential parties concerned with it.
What is the objective of the policy?
The International Cricket Council noted in the official press release on Monday, June 22, “To support a safe and sustainable return to cricket, the guidelines outline the 6 Rs: Prepare, Review, Restore, Repair, Return and Refine. This approach includes early recovery after birth, medical and welfare review, gradual return to structured training, cricket-specific conditioning, return to play and continued monitoring once a player returns to the cricket environment.”
ICC Medical Advisory Committee member and Australia team doctor, Dr Philippa Inge, took responsibility for designing the module. As per the policy, the Council will assist the female cricketer from pregnancy to the initial stages of child care.
How will the council help the cricketers through the policy?
“The ICC Return to Play Guidelines Following Pregnancy are designed to show players that having a child does not have to be the end of their careers, and our aim with this policy is to facilitate Member Nations’ return to cricket for their players,” Dr Inge said.
He added, “We know that many members have not necessarily had these in the past, and the aim is to make them adaptable to the unique environments in which our members need to use them. The guidelines serve as a template for members, and the strong support for athletes returning to cricket after pregnancy needs to be personalized to the specific needs of them and their family.”
Why has ICC introduced return to play policy after pregnancy?
In the same press release, a spokesperson for the council noted that the environment around cricketers is essential for the development of women’s cricket. The return to play policy following pregnancy reflects the Council’s desire to grow women’s cricket around the world.
“The development of women’s cricket must match the environment we create around our players, and the ICC’s guidelines on playing after pregnancy are an important step forward in supporting women cricketers at every stage of their careers,” the spokesperson said.
The source further explained, “Motherhood and elite cricket should not be seen as mutually exclusive. By providing clear, practical and player-focused guidance, we want to help member boards support informed choices, protect player welfare and retain more outstanding talent in the game.”
It is noteworthy that this policy has been started during the current Women’s T20 World Cup. This initiative will definitely help women cricketers in future.