Bat sizes to change in Run-Out rule: 5 new Cricket rules that you must know

The International Cricket Council (ICC), recently, approved new set of rules for Cricket and some major changes have been introduced in the game.

The changes in the rules were recommended by Cricket Committee, led by former Indian coach Anil Kumble.

The new ICC rules will come into effect from September 28. However, the upcoming India-Australia series, scheduled from September 17 to October 13, will be played as per existing by-laws of the game.

Sri Lanka vs Pakistan and Bangladesh vs South Africa series, scheduled to start on September 28, will be played as per the new rules.

Virat Kohli led Indian team will begin their journey as per new rules when New Zealand tour India in mid-October.

Here are the new ICC rules:

1. Umpires will have the authority to send players off for serious breaches of behaviour under updated laws of the game.

2. New restrictions on bat sizes have been introduced. According to the new rules, the bat dimensions (the thickness of edges and depth of bat) will be - an edge limit of 40mm and bat depth of 67mm (60mm for the depth plus an allowance of 7mm for a possible curve on the face of the bat).

3. An amendment has been made to the run out law to protect a batsman whose bat has bounced in the air once they have crossed the popping crease. "If the bat (held by the hand) or another part of the batsman's person is grounded beyond the popping crease and this contact with the ground is subsequently lost when the wicket is put down, the batsman will be protected from being run out if he/she is running or diving and has continued forward momentum towards the stumps and beyond," John Stephenson, the MCC's head of cricket, said. In simple words, once the batsman has landed the bat behind the crease and his bat bounces up, he won't be declared run-out or even stumped out won't be applied to him even if the bails are dislodged when his bat is not grounded.

4. With the new rules, the teams will no longer lose a review under DRS if a leg- before referral returns as 'Umpires' Call'.

5. With the change in the DRS rule on umpires' call, the current rule allowing the top-up of reviews after 80 overs in Tests is set to be removed.

Umpire sanctions under the new code

Level 1: Offences include excessive appealing and showing dissent at an umpire's decision. Following an official warning, a second Level 1 offence will result in five penalty runs being awarded to the opposing team.

Level 2: Offences (including throwing the ball at a player or making deliberate physical contact with an opponent during play), will result in the immediate awarding of five penalty runs to the opposing team.

Level 3: Offences (including intimidating an umpire or threatening to assault another player, team official or spectator) will result in five penalty runs and a removal of the offending player from the field for a set number of overs, depending on the format of the match.

Level 4: Offences (threatening an umpire or committing any act of violence on the field of play), will result in five penalty runs and the removal of the offending player for the remainder of the match. If the player is batting at the time of the offence, he/she will be recorded as 'retired out'.

- - With PTI inputs