ICC Targets Two-Ball Rule ODI Format; May See Mid-Innings Change

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is planning major changes in One Day Internationals (ODIs). The focus is on the use of two new balls, which has faced years of criticism from cricket legends, including Sachin Tendulkar.

According to a report by Cricbuzz, the ICC may modify the current two-ball rule. The idea is not to completely remove the rule but to make it more bowler-friendly. From the 25-over mark, teams might be asked to pick only one of the two balls to continue the innings. This move aims to bring reverse swing back into the game.

Sachin Tendulkar and Brett Lee Back the Change

Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar has called the two-ball rule “a recipe for disaster.” He has argued that both balls stay too new and shiny, which kills any chance of reverse swing in the death overs.

“We haven’t seen reverse swing for a long time. Two new balls never get old enough,” Tendulkar had said on social media.

Former Australia pacer Brett Lee has also supported Tendulkar’s views.

The two-ball rule, introduced to maintain the ball’s colour and visibility, ended up making life harder for bowlers. With this change, the ICC wants to bring back balance between bat and ball.

Clock and Format Changes Also Under Review

The ICC Cricket Committee, led by Sourav Ganguly, is also reviewing other possible changes. One idea is the introduction of in-game clocks in Test cricket. These clocks, already used in T20s and ODIs, would limit the time between overs to 60 seconds. The aim is to ensure 90 overs are bowled each day.

In addition, the ICC is thinking of switching the men’s Under-19 World Cup to a T20 format. The women’s edition has already adopted the shorter format successfully in 2023 and 2025.

The proposed changes will be reviewed during the ongoing ICC meetings in Zimbabwe.

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