The International Cricket Council is set to introduce a significant update to its concussion substitute policy. This change is expected to improve clarity and fairness when handling in-game injuries due to head impacts. New Playing Conditions Coming in June According to a report from Cricbuzz, the updated rules will take effect in June. Along with the concussion protocol revision, the ICC will bring back the use of a single ball in One Day Internationals. Other minor adjustments will be made to rules around boundary catches and the Decision Review System. Teams will now have to name five concussion substitutes before each match. These players must include one wicketkeeper, one batter, one fast bowler, one spinner, and one allrounder. In a rare situation where a concussion substitute also gets injured, the ICC has provided a flexible clause. “Under an exceptional and rare circumstance, whereby a replacement concussion player gets concussed and needs to be replaced, the match referee will deal with the situation and consider a replacement outside of the five nominated replacement players," the ICC stated. WTC Final to Use Existing Protocol The upcoming World Test Championship Final between Australia and South Africa will still follow the existing rules. This match begins on June 11 at Lord’s. The updated regulations will apply starting with the new WTC cycle. The first match under the new policy will be the Test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, starting June 17 in Galle. Initially, it was expected that the proposal would be sent to a working group. However, the Cricbuzz report confirms that the Chief Executives’ Committee has already approved the changes. Understanding the Current Concussion Rule At present, the rule comes into play when a player is suspected or confirmed to have suffered a concussion, based on an assessment by the team’s medical staff. The team must then submit a replacement request to the match referee. This includes details of the incident, the medical evaluation, and the proposed substitute. The replacement player must have a similar role and skillset as the injured one. This requirement is in place to ensure the team does not gain an unfair advantage. ALSO READ: ICC Overhauls Two-Ball Rule: Single Ball Usage After 35 Overs In ODIs, Report Claims