BOMBAY, 1 July 2005 — For the first time, after more than 30 years of its popularity, the promoters have realized that limited overs cricket was getting predictable and perhaps even less interesting than before. All the worrying has led Sunil Gavaskar to do a close study of the situation and come up with some worthwhile changes in the rules to pep up the game. The former opener, now a television expert, besides heading the cricket committee of the ICC, had his proposals accepted for introduction on a trial basis.

At the London meeting during the last weekend, the ICC has allowed substitutions for the first time in cricket. A team can replace any one player at any stage of a match. The replaced player will be ruled out of the rest of the game and the replacement can assume any remaining batting or bowling duties.

The change regarding the restriction on the field placing, only two outside the 30-yard circle, is most interesting. It is aimed at making the normally staid and droning phase between overs 15 and 35 less predictable.

The usual entrenchment will now have a dash of excitement. Now, the two men outside the circle rule would apply for the first 10 overs. The fielding captain will have to take a call on when to reintroduce the restrictions for ten more overs, in two blocks of five overs. He can do it at any time of the innings but in a block of five overs at a time. Here comes an element of chess. The fielding captain will be put to the test to utilize these two blocks of five overs each carefully and judiciously.

This will require a great amount of tactical knowledge. If he misreads the situation a wee bit, he will be done in, as former India opening bat and coach Anshuman Gaekwad agrees. “Yes, the captain has to be more pro-active now. It will test his reading of the game.”

Basically, these changes are being looked at quizzically in India. Said former India skipper Ajit Wadekar, “It should be interesting. We will come to know of the success of this plan once these changes are implemented. There were a few instances where the ODIs were getting predictable. Let’s see how it works now.”

Said Balwinder Sandhu, one of India’s 1983 world Cup-winning team, on substitution, “A bowler with no pretensions to batting, can now be replaced by an outstanding batsman. It gives the captain a wide option and the team the use of the talent of 12 players.”

While the main aim of the ICC is to bring in more excitement, it is obvious that the role of captain assumes even greater importance. The current Indian coach, Greg Chappell, maintains that the captain is the most important man on the field. Now, he will have much larger control over the game.”

The ICC has also decided to bring in greater use of technology. The television umpire will be consulted at any time the field umpires are in doubt over any decision.

These changes will be tried out from the current England-Australia one-day series for the next ten months. The ICC will then formalize the changes.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. So, one will know the true worth of these changes only after they have been tried out fully. If accepted finally, they will change the face of one-day cricket.