The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced several new rules for the new domestic cricket season. One of these is strict rules on deliberately short runs, where the opposition captain can make the decision about who can take strike for the next ball.

Previous BCCI actions on deliberate short run

In recent cricket, especially T20 cricket, it has been observed that a batter intentionally runs short while taking a couple to keep a strike for himself. The short run is never added to the player and team scoreboard, while the deliberate short run already has some punishments. 

In the case of a deliberate short run, the on-field umpires award a five-run penalty to the bowling team, along with disallowing all runs from the batting team on that delivery, and there can also be a hearing before the match referee. However, the BCCI has awarded another crucial layer for this kind of incident.

Asia Cup 2025: Jasprit Bumrah Declares Availability, Updates Selectors Before Squad Announcement

New addition in the deliberate short run

From the new season in Indian domestic cricket, in the case of a deliberate short run, while the batting side's all runs will be disallowed, along with a five-run penalty to the fielding side, the umpires will also request the fielding side's captain to decide which of the two batters will take the strike for the next delivery. 

The BCCI has clarified about the deliberate short run. It means, "an attempt for batters to appear to run more than one run, while at least one batter deliberately does not make good their ground at one end." However, if a batter decides to abort a run, it will not be counted as a deliberate short run. 

In the revised BCCI playing conditions in domestic cricket, 18.5.2 says that in the case of a deliberate short run, the bowler’s end umpire shall:

• Disallow all runs to the batting side
• Signal No ball or Wide to the scorers, if applicable
• Award 5 Penalty runs to the fielding side
• Request the captain of the fielding side to identify which of the two batters will take strike for the next delivery.
• Award any other 5-run Penalty that is applicable except for Penalty runs under clause 28.3 (Protective helmets belonging to the fielding side)
• Inform the scorers as to the number of runs to be recorded; and
• Inform the captain of the fielding side and, as soon as practicable, the captain of the batting side of the reason for this action.
• The umpires together may report the occurrence as soon as possible after the match to the BCCI Match Referee.

Rishabh Pant got injured in the Old Trafford Test against England and the wicketkeeper batter was not in a situation to bat as he was hit on his right foot which fractured it. Though Dhruv Jurel donned the gloves for the rest of the game, when it comes to batting the rule permitted no other player than Pant himself to take the field.

With this talks about injury replacements in the middle of the game caught heat. Having said that, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has rolled out new rules for its domestic cricket circuit. One such rule is replacing a player with serious injury concern in the middle of the game.

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“If a player sustains a serious injury during the course of the relevant match, a Serious Injury Replacement may be permitted,” the BCCI’s updated Playing Conditions state. However, it also made clear that the injury must occur within the field of play and be the result of an external blow, such as a fracture, deep cut, or dislocation.

Gambhir in favour of the new rule

Just after Pant’s injury, India head coach, Gautam Gambhir had green flagged the rule and had backed with his clear stand for like-for-like replacement. He also asserted that when such injuries occur the equation of game changed drastically and it impacts the game.

“Absolutely, I’m all for it. If umpires and referees see it’s a major injury, why should a team be punished? Imagine playing 10 vs 11 in a closely fought Test. There’s nothing wrong with allowing a visible, like-for-like replacement.”

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has updated the playing conditions to introduce injury replacements for the upcoming domestic 2025-26 season. The decision came after Rishabh Pant had to hobble down the stairs to bat with a broken foot during the fourth Test of the recently concluded series against England at Old Trafford in Manchester.

The BCCI has tweaked a few rules for the new season in the multi-day cricket under a new sub-head, ‘serious injury replacement’, stating that a like-for-like replacement, similar to concussion replacement rules, will be allowed. Along with that, changes have been made even for the deliberate short runs and retiring the batters. 

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“If a player sustains a serious injury during the relevant match, a Serious Injury Replacement may be permitted in the following circumstances. The serious injury must have been sustained during play and within the playing area described in the clause.” The newly introduced rule of the playing conditions states, as revealed by a report of Cricbuzz.

BCCI introduces new injury replacement after Rishabh Pant’s injury

Due to the injury, Pant was ruled out of the fifth and final fixture in the series at Kennington Oval. The southpaw is at risk of missing the home Test series against West Indies and the Asia Cup 2025. Both head coach Gautam Gambhir and England captain Ben Stokes had different views on the idea.

“If the umpires and the match referee see and feel that it's a major injury, I think it's very important. It's very important to have this rule where you can get a substitute - that is, if it's very visible. There's nothing wrong in doing that, especially in a series like this where it's been such a closely-fought series in the previous three Test matches.” Gambhir expressed in the press conference.

“It's ridiculous that there's a conversation around an injury replacement. There would just be too many loopholes for teams to be able to go through. You pick your eleven for a game; injuries are part of the game. I completely understand the concussion replacement, player welfare, and player safety.” The premier England all-rounder, Ben Stokes, concluded.

India's T20I squad for the Asia Cup 2025 will likely be announced on August 19. The marquee eight-team tournament isn't too far away from kick-off, as it commences on September 10. With a little over three weeks to go, speculation has already begun mounting on who would make it to the squad and who won't. As an obvious speculation, Suryakumar Yadav is most certainly expected to be retained as a captain. But the vice-captaincy position may be up for grabs as reports suggest that Axar Patel could be in real danger of losing out on that role should Shubman Gill make it to the squad.

On the other hand, there seems to be no room for the all-format specialist opener Yashavi Jaiswal, who is coming off a dream tour from England. Despite his recent success in red-ball and white-ball cricket, Jaiswal may not make it as the management is more keen to press ahead with the opening combination of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. Besides, in the pace department, a big question mark looms over Jasprit Bumrah's participation. The star pacer featured in only three out of the five Test matches in the Anderson-Teundulkar Trophy series, citing workload management.

With a plethora of selection headaches to combat, how will India's Asia Cup squad shape up? Read on as we attempt to answer this burning question.  

See also: Shocking selection surprise! Jaiswal likely to be left out of Asia Cup 2025

Batting department (Top order)

Abhishek Sharma is among the most obvious picks at the top of the order. As the top-ranked T20I batsman globally, Abhishek's ascent has been remarkable. In this year alone, he boasts an average of 56 in T20Is with a strike rate of 220. His likely partner is wicketkeeper Sanju Samson, who has been relatively quiet since achieving three T20I centuries last year. In the series against England, he accumulated only 51 runs over five innings at a strike rate of 119, although he improved to a strike rate of 140 during the IPL.

Reports indicate that Shubman Gill, the new and currently in-form Test captain of India, may be considered for the Asia Cup, with a possibility of being appointed as vice-captain. His strong performance in IPL 2025 certainly makes him a top contender, as he accumulated 650 runs at an average of 50 with a strike rate of 156. It remains to be seen how he will manage to break into the current opening pair. Sai Sudharsan, who won the Orange Cap this year, may feel somewhat overlooked. Tilak Varma, who has recently completed a stint in the One-Day Cup, is another player assured of selection. He was the second-highest run-scorer for India during the series against England and also had a commendable IPL season, with a strike rate of 138. A fit-again SKY is expected to captain the team.

All-rounders (Middle order)

Among the all-rounders, Hardik Pandya stands out as a clear choice, while Axar Patel, regardless of whether he maintains the vice-captaincy, is expected to be included as another option. In terms of strike rate, this IPL season marked his best performance to date (157), as he batted in positions four to six for the Delhi Capitals. Although his bowling performance was not as noteworthy, he maintains an average of 27 in the UAE, with an economy rate of less than six-and-a-half.

Washington Sundar may serve as another spin all-rounder. His T20I career has experienced significant fluctuations, lacking a consistent opportunity to showcase his skills; however, under Gautam Gambhir's guidance, this could potentially change. While it may be perceived as a touch of recency bias, his impressive Test series – albeit in a distinctly different role – should also marginally enhance his candidacy.

For the role of a backup seam-bowling all-rounder, Shivam Dube and Nitish Kumar Reddy appear to be in direct competition. A concern for Nitish is his recent knee injury, as his latest social media updates indicate he is still undergoing rehabilitation. Dube has long been recognized as a viable option for spin-hitting, although his bowling performance has diminished in recent times. He had previously stepped in for Nitish during the England T20Is as an injury replacement.

Bowlers (Lower order)

Among spinners, Varun Chakravarthy stands out as a clear choice. Benefiting from a resurgence under Gambhir, he secured 14 wickets at an impressive average of 9.85 during the England series and maintained his form throughout the IPL. Kuldeep Yadav, who was sidelined for the entirety of the Test tour, may find himself waiting for his opportunities once more.

If Jasprit Bumrah is healthy (and there has been considerable uncertainty regarding his fitness recently), he will undoubtedly secure one position, leaving the remaining two positions to be occupied by Arshdeep Singh, a regular in T20I matches, and possibly Mohammed Siraj.

Siraj has not participated in T20Is since July of the previous year and was also absent during India’s Champions Trophy victory. However, there may be a strong inclination to reinstate him following an impressive series against England, despite the potential for significant competition from Prasidh Krishna, the winner of this season’s IPL Purple Cap. Additionally, Harshit Rana might also be aiming to secure a spot should Bumrah be unable to participate.

India's predicted squad for Asia Cup 2025 (As per Wisden)

Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Sanja Samson, Jitesh Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube/Nitish Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohd Siraj/Prasidh Krishna, Varun Chakravarthy

Former India international Aakash Chopra discarded the idea of split captaincy. The cricketer-turned-commentator opined that three different captains for three different formats absolutely made no sense. Some recent reports have suggested that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) can permanently apply the split captaincy theory for all three international formats. 

Currently, Shubman Gill is assigned as the captain of the Test setup, Rohit Sharma is the leader of the ODI team, and Surykumar Yadav is the skipper for the T20I side. Comparing cricket with football, Chopra said that during a football match, most of the control remains in the hands of the manager, unlike cricket, where a captain on the field has to play a vital role. 

"A captain has a massive role. There are many team sports where the captain's role is limited. Football, for example, has a very limited role. It's the manager who manages the game from outside. Cricket is not like that. Cricket is a very intuitive game. You cannot spoon-feed a captain there. In such a scenario, you want a little continuity," Chopra opined in a video on his YouTube channel. 

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"A different thought process... Dilution'

He highlighted the fact that there are multiple players who are involved with multiple formats. For example, Chopra said about Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj. The former cricketer completely denies the probability of overlapping as long as the captain and some players remain the same. 

"If you see, Shubman Gill and KL Rahul are playing Tests and ODIs, and Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are playing all three formats, and suddenly you realize that there is a lot of overlap. If the players are overlapping and the captain changes every time and goes with a different thought process, it leads to dilution," he explained. 

Indian pace bowling sensation Akash Deep has been a true revelation in the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series, where he picked up 13 wickets and played a pivotal role in helping India level the series. But far from the highs of the England tour, a rather unexpected controversy has rocked the UP-born speedster. Following his successful run in the five-match Test series, Deep posted a photo of a black-coloured Toyota Fortuner car on his Instagram account with the following caption:

"Dream delivered. Keys received. With the ones who matter most."

At first glance, not much seems odd about the picture. But if one looks at it more closely, his car is without a High Security Registration Plate (HSRP). In a massive development, the Uttar Pradesh Transport Department has come down hard on him and has issued a legal notice to the pacer for failing to incorporate an HSRP in his brand new vehicle. 

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UP Transport Department reprimands Akash Deep

भारतीय क्रिकेटर आकाशदीप को यूपी परिवहन विभाग ने बिना HSRP और बिना रजिस्ट्रेशन के फॉर्च्यूनर चलाने पर नोटिस भेजा है।
शोरूम का ट्रेड सर्टिफिकेट निलंबित ।
कार्यालय परिवहन आयुक्त, लखनऊ । pic.twitter.com/TTfzOzjAg2

— Transport Department, UP (@uptransportdept) August 12, 2025

Amidst this ongoing controversy, Akash Deep is not the only guilty party here. M/s Sunny Motors, from whom the car was purchased, also faces strict punishment. The dealership has been suspended for a month as it delivered the car without completing registration or fitting an HSRP. Officials claim that the car was handed over to the cricketer following inadequate registration formalities and have given the dealership 14 days to respond to this allegation. 

The car model which featured in Deep's post is worth 62 lakhs INR, according to the cardekho.com website. Upon closer evaluation, the authorities ascertained that Deep had been in violation of Rule 44 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. An initial inquiry conducted by ARTO Lucknow and the VAHAN portal records indicated that the vehicle's sale invoice was generated on 7 August 2025, insurance was finalized on 8 August 2025; however, road tax had not been settled, and the registration process was still pending. Nevertheless, the vehicle was discovered in public operation. The dealer has been allotted 14 days to provide a legally acceptable justification, and failure to do so will result in the cancellation of their trade certificate.

The 1983 World Cup winner and leading wicket-taker in that tournament, Roger Binny, is staying as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President at present, despite crossing the age limit. All the details of this new progress have been discussed here.

Last month, Roger Binny celebrated his 70th birthday. He became the BCCI President in October 2022, after replacing the former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly. However, according to the Supreme Court-approved BCCI constitution, Binny would now have to leave the Presidency role due to crossing the age limit, which was below 70 years. 

However, the scenario has changed slightly after the National Sports Bill was passed in parliament on Tuesday. BCCI will now come under the purview of the National Sports Bill. If global bodies haven't set any age limit, the National Sports Federations' office bearers can continue till the age of 75. As the International Cricket Council (ICC) hasn't specified the age limit, the BCCI can follow the National Sports Bill, but the state unit members have to agree on it. 

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Roger will continue till board meeting in September

The BCCI will hold the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in September. The fate of Roger Binny as the BCCI President can be decided in the upcoming BCCI AGM. According to the recent PTI report, till the BCCI AGM, the 1983 World Cup winner will continue in the BCCI President role. 

An unnamed source told PTI, "Roger will continue till board meeting in September. Whether he will get a fresh term depends on what members and other powerful people associated with the BCCI decide."

There are other points to discuss in the bill

As the upcoming Women's ODI World Cup 2025 draws to a close, all eyes will be on the dynamic Indian Women's Cricket team. It will be a huge moment for the Indian women's team to be able to play in front of their home crowd. The hosts will kick off their World Cup campaign by facing Sri Lanka Women in the opener on September 30. 

With only 50 days to go before the all-important marquee tournament gets underway, three of India's top cricketing icons, namely Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemi Rodrigues, and Smriti Mandhana, featured in BCCI's latest ODI World Cup promo. The trio recognizes the magnitude and the gravity of the event and is fully aware of what the fans expect from them. When asked about how they feel about playing a home World Cup, Mandhana, who has been a part of two ODI World Cups already, feels that it is a special moment for her and her country. 

Moving on, the Indian women's team captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, also expressed her views and described what it will be like to play in front of the home crowd. The star batter admits that the pressure will be immense, but puts strong emphasis on playing quality cricket. Jemi Rodrigues also shared her own perspective on playing a home World Cup and talked briefly about how excited the team is to play in front of packed stadiums. The 24-year-old reflects on India's glorious run in white-ball cricket in recent times and draws inspiration from the historic series win against England. She remains hopeful that her team will be able to achieve something historic in the upcoming Women's ODI World Cup. 

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Watch the video here:

#TeamIndia’s Star Trio Captain @ImHarmanpreet, @mandhana_smriti and @JemiRodrigues talk about the excitement of playing a home World Cup, expectations and packed stadiums.

Snippets from the '50 Days to Go' event for ICC @cricketworldcup #WomenInBlue pic.twitter.com/guYrRZ6AyS

— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) August 12, 2025

The Women's ODI World Cup 2025 starts on September 30. India, who are the hosts for this prestigious tournament, will look to make the most of the home advantage to register their maiden World Cup title win. Unlike the men's team, India's women's cricket team hasn't tasted a great deal of success. The team has gone without a single title win since the inaugural 1973 edition. Australia have been the most successful team in the history of women's ODI World Cup, with seven titles to their name. They are currently the defending champions, and the Indian women's team will need something incredibly special to beat the resilient Australian side in the upcoming Women's ODI World Cup 2025. 

There are uncertainties over the Asia Cup 2025 following the armed conflict between India and Pakistan in May, but the event has got the green light and is set to run from September 09 to 28 in the United Arab Emirates, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi going to be the host cities. India is the official host, with their games separated across the two venues.

The decision of the tournament is aligned with the agreed hybrid model between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), where any India-Pakistan encounter will be played at neutral venues. The Blue Brigade has been placed alongside in Group A and could face each other three times during the competition.

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There are reports of the 15-member squad of the side getting revealed in the next week in Mumbai. There is no confirmation if the premier pacer, Jasprit Bumrah, would be available for selection as he missed the fifth and final Test of the five-match series in England due to workload management.

BCCI selectors to reveal India’s squad for Asia Cup 2025 next week

The T20I leader of the side, Suryakumar Yadav, after his treatment, has started practice in the nets, while the middle-order batter, Shreyas Iyer, has undergone a fitness test along with the all-rounder, Hardik Pandya. The all-rounder’s role in the shortest format will be crucial for the national side to balance the playing XI.

Gill is reportedly expected to be the vice-captain of the Indian side for the tournament. He had an excellent time with the bat as a leader during the recent five-match Test series in England, crossing 700 runs. It’s so interesting to see which spinners they pick in the squad.

If they end up getting Gill in the squad, then there will be questions about the other batters. Sanju Samson struggled during their last T20I series at home against England. If Yashasvi Jaiswal ends up making it into the squad, then one of Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma, Samson, and Jaiswal would be able to make it into the side. It will be a nice headache to have for the selection committee.

Fast bowler Mohammad Shami was not included in India’s squad for the recent Test series against England. The series concluded in a 2-2 tie, with both sides evenly matched. Shami’s absence was felt due to his experience and strong track record.

Following the conclusion of the series, reports emerged about a discussion between a BCCI official and Shami before the tour. The discussion reportedly focused on Shami’s fitness and his potential role before the England Test series. This dialogue seemed to have influenced the selection decisions, leading to Shami being left out.

While the exact details of the discussion remain unclear, it highlighted the challenges and considerations the team management faces in balancing player form, fitness, and strategy. Shami’s exclusion sparked debates among fans and experts, but India’s strong performance throughout the series showcased the depth in their bowling lineup.

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BCCI Consulted Shami Before Finalizing England Test Squad:

According to the report, the selectors spoke with Mohammad Shami before finalizing the England Test squad. However, the official stated that Shami lacked confidence at the time. The decision to exclude him was not based on his performance but rather concerns about his fitness and self-belief.

Shami’s most recent Test appearance for India was in the 2023 World Test Championship final versus Australia at The Oval. Since then, he has missed key home series against New Zealand and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia due to fitness issues and form concerns.

The official added that age played a role in the decision, as Mohammad Shami is nearing 35. The selectors preferred to focus on younger bowlers who could serve the team for several more years. This long-term approach influenced their choices for the squad.

During the England series, the absence of an experienced pacer was noticeable. Jasprit Bumrah managed his workload and played only three of the five Tests, leaving much of the bowling responsibility on Mohammed Siraj. Siraj often carried the pressure of leading the attack throughout the series, highlighting the need for a senior fast bowler in the team.

Shami Might be Seen in Duleep Trophy:

Mohammad Shami has been away from India’s Test squad for more than two years. Eager to prove himself again, he is set to make a comeback in red-ball cricket through the 2025-26 Duleep Trophy. Starting August 28, this key domestic tournament will feature him representing the East Zone team.

In the previous season, Shami appeared in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy representing Bengal but featured in just one match against Madhya Pradesh. The upcoming Duleep Trophy offers him a valuable chance to regain form and catch the selectors’ attention for future Test opportunities.

Shami made his Test debut back in 2013 against the West Indies. Over his career, he has played 64 Tests, taking 229 wickets at an average of 27.71. His record includes six five-wicket hauls, showcasing his skill and impact as a frontline pacer for India.