Cricket Australia to experiment with injury substitutes in Sheffield Shield

Rishabh Pant being stretchered off during the fourth England-India Test in July 2025 (Source: Getty Images)

Cricket Australia is all set to experiment with an injury replacement rule in the first five rounds of the upcoming season’s Sheffield Shield competition. The opposition will also be allowed to make a corresponding substitution from their end. Their primary objective is to present the findings to the International Cricket Council for its implementation in Test cricket.

It will stand in contrast with the current the “serious injury replacement substitute” rule the BCCI has set for its domestic structure. CA has made the details of the rule clear with the six state sides in the recent weeks. They will be set to be followed for the initial half of the season. The Shield is scheduled to get underway on Saturday, October 4.

According to ESPNcricinfo, the main goal of the latest ruling is to cover all sorts of injuries. The latest amendment will prevent fit fast bowlers from being overworked for that amount of match in which they will be without their teammate in the same department. This has been formulated to maintain a kind of competitive balance. As of now, teams were allowed to make unlimited concussion substitutions spanning all four days of a Shield fixture.

The participating teams will be permitted to replace any player they want with another player possessing the same skill sets in case any sort of injury or illness occurs. A request will have to be made to the match referee, who will then assess the validity of the injury.

The main difference from the rule which BCCI has put forward is that the latter has made it necessary that the injury will only be considered if it is external (for example, a deep cut or fracture). There will be feedback which will be taken in by CA from teams in the first five rounds. There could also be a slight possibility that this particular rule stays put for rounds six and seven.

Disclaimer: This latest news is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.