ODI Substitutions

With the ICC implementing the new suggestions by their Technical committee, changes to the playing conditions start from end of July. Prominent among these is the allowance for a substitute in any capacity, with all 12 players receiving a full cap.

Just thinking about it a bit, it seems to me that most teams will make the substitution at the mid-innings break. They will go in for having 6 or 7 batsmen, and a full chart of 5 or 6 bowlers. It could also take the pressure off the Gilchristian dilemma of finding a batsman-wicketkeeper (though your weakest batsman is likely to be a full-time bowler).

I'm not very sure what the rule brings to the game other than giving weaker teams or those with less flexible players more cover. In contrast, the other major ruling about making 20 overs of restricted fielding with 10 of them being used in 2 blocks in the rest of the 40 overs should be interesting. If only to see how captains and coaches use this to their advantage. The introduction of the 15 over rule all those years ago shook up things and I think we may see things of interest happening. Until someone stumbles upon a very useful strategy that gets copied and ultimately turns stereotypical, this should have something for the viewer. South Africa had better watch out - more complex rules means more opportunities to make more cock-ups :-).

I still think my suggestion (made long ago) about letting some bowlers bowl more than 10 overs is a useful one which will further help tilt the balance away a little further from the batsmen. Alas, if only they listened :-).