DRS, COVID allowances among major changes made ahead of IPL 2022

MARCH 15: The IPL 2022 will see some major changes to the playing conditions, the most prominent of them being an alteration to the rule about the inability to field a XI because of any kind of COVID situation in a team. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has said the matter will be referred to the technical committee if rescheduling the game is not possible.

Said a BCCI communique on Monday (March 14): "Unable to field a team on account of COVID for any match due to having less than 12 players available in the playing XI (of which at least 7 must be Indian) plus 1 substitute fielder.

"The BCCI, at its discretion, will attempt to reschedule the match for later in the season. If this is not possible, the issue will be referred to the IPL Technical Committee. The decision of the IPL Technical Committee will be final and binding." This is a shift from the previous rule which said that the board "will attempt to reschedule the match for later in the season. If this is not possible, the franchise will be deemed to have lost the match with its opponent being awarded 2 points."

The second-most important addition to the playing conditions is the increase in the number of referrals (DRS) from one to two. "In each innings, the number of reviews have been increased from one to two," the BCCI said and endorsed the recent Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) suggestion that the new batsman will have to take the strike even if the batsmen in the middle crossover during a catch.

"Upon a catch dismissal, irrespective of whether the batsmen have crossed or not the incoming batsman will take the strike, except if it's the last ball of the over," the BCCI informed the teams.

The BCCI has also said that in case of a Super Over to break a tie in the playoffs/final is not possible, then the team that has finished higher in the league will be declared winners. "If conditions do not permit a Super Over, or subsequent Super Overs within the time available to determine the winner as described, then the team which, at the end of the relevant regular season, finished in the higher position in the league table will be deemed the winner of the relevant play-off match," the rules state.

This year's league will take place in Mumbai and Pune and the playing conditions have stated that the BCCI has the discretion to conduct the play-offs at any other venue. This is an indication, if not confirmation, that this year's play-offs will be staged in Ahmedabad.

Says the circular: "The BCCI shall have the right (at its cost) to organise and stage the play-off matches at any stadium (including any stadium) and shall be entitled to retain all revenues from the play-off matches save in respect of sums relating to such play-off matches which are due to franchisees in respect of the Central Rights Income (as such term is defined in the Franchise Agreement) under their Franchise Agreement.

"BCCI shall (at its cost) be entitled but not obliged to organise the closing ceremony in respect of the League which, if staged, shall (unless BCCI in its discretion decides otherwise) take place on the day and at the Stadium where the final is played."