Rishabh Pant's behaviour leads to BCCI ban

There has been debate over allowing replacements for players suffering major injuries since Rishabh Pant batted with a broken foot against England. The BCCI has revised the Ranji Trophy rules, requiring injured players to obtain mandatory fitness clearance from the Centre of Excellence before returning.

Rishabh Pant is currently recovering from a foot injury he sustained while batting in the fourth Test of India’s tour of England earlier this year. The wicketkeeper-batter is expected to return to competitive cricket during the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy and could be available from the second round of the tournament.

Rishabh Pant Last Played for India in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025

Rishabh Pant showcased determination during the five-match Test series in England, which concluded in a 2-2 draw. The wicketkeeper-batter fractured his left foot during the first innings of the fourth Test in Manchester.

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After retiring hurt on 37 and being taken off the field in visible pain, Rishabh Pant returned the following day to resume his innings. Pant went on to score 54 runs off 75 balls, including three fours and two sixes, helping India post a total of 358 in their first innings.

However, the injury prevented him from participating in the final Test at The Oval, with Tamil Nadu cricketer N. Jagadeesan named as his replacement.

Rishabh Pant is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru to recover fully. In his absence, Dhruv Jurel took over the wicketkeeping responsibilities during the recent two-match Test series against the West Indies at home.

BCCI Introduces “Serious Injury Replacement” Rule Under ICC Pilot Project

The BCCI has introduced a new “serious injury replacement” rule as part of the ICC’s pilot project. According to the document shared with state associations, any player substituted due to a serious injury must observe a mandatory seven-day break before returning to action.

“If a player is replaced for serious injury during the match, the concerned player will have to stand down for a minimum period of seven days from the time the serious injury replacement was permitted,” the BCCI notification to state associations read.

"After the completion of the minimum stand down days the concerned player will be required to report to BCCI – COE for further assessment of his fitness. The specialist panel at the BCCI COE will assess his / her fitness and based on the specialist report the player will be cleared for any future participation in BCCI matches.”

Mandatory Stand-Down Period Rules in Updated Playing Conditions for Injured Players

As per the updated playing conditions, if a player sustains an injury on the opening day of a match and undergoes medical scans the same evening, with a replacement approved the following day, the day after will count as the first of the mandatory stand-down period.

While many former players have supported the rule to ensure fair play, others have expressed concerns about potential misuse. The ICC will review its implementation across domestic tournaments at the upcoming Chief Executives’ meeting in November.

Notably, the BCCI has clarified that disciplinary sanctions, such as demerit points or suspensions, will carry over to the next match a player’s team participates in, regardless of the format.

A player penalized in a Ranji Trophy game must serve the sanction even if the team’s next match is in a different format.

Also read: India achieve new world record after beating West Indies