Clock ticking on test cricket: ICC considers over-time restrictions

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is gearing up for its annual conference, which is tentatively scheduled for the third week of July in Singapore. This year’s meet will be notable for being the first chaired by Jay Shah in his capacity as ICC Chairman. The decision to host the event in Singapore, the home constituency of ICC Deputy Chair Imran Khwaja, was finalized during recent ICC meetings in Zimbabwe, held across Harare and Victoria Falls.

High on the agenda will be discussions around significant changes proposed by the Cricket Committee, chaired by former India captain and ex-BCCI president Sourav Ganguly. Among the key recommendations is the introduction of a single ball from the 25th over onwards in One-Day Internationals, aimed at reviving the art of reverse swing—a feature that has diminished in recent years due to the use of two new balls.

In Test cricket, the committee has suggested the implementation of an in-game clock to ensure that 90 overs are bowled in a day. The proposal includes a 60-second limit between overs, aligning red-ball cricket with white-ball formats in terms of time management.

Another notable recommendation is the potential shift of the men’s Under-19 World Cup from its current 50-over format to T20, in line with the format used for the women’s Under-19 World Cup. A Working Group is likely to be constituted to delve deeper into these proposals, though no formal announcement has been made yet.

In parallel, the ICC also held preliminary discussions regarding the World Cricket Association (WCA), which has called for a revamp of ICC’s governance structure and financial distribution model. However, the CEC (Chief Executives’ Committee) expressed skepticism about the WCA’s authority, especially given that the organisation—formerly known as FICA—is not universally recognised, with major boards like the BCCI withholding their support.

Only a few Full Member boards have formally affiliated with the WCA, and the prevailing sentiment within the ICC appears to be that engagement with the body will remain limited. While some boards might communicate with their players involved in the WCA, the likelihood of the organisation’s proposals being formally adopted by the ICC remains low.