A concussion substitute in Test cricket is a replacement approved by the ICC Match Referee after a player suffers a concussion or suspected concussion from a head or neck injury during play. The replacement must be like for like, and the replaced player cannot return to the match once approval is given. Under the ICC men's Test conditions effective October 2026, the request must reach the referee within 36 hours of the incident.
| Question | Men's Test conditions |
|---|---|
| Who makes the medical assessment? | The Team Medical Representative |
| Who submits the request? | Team Medical Representative or Team Manager |
| Who approves it? | ICC Match Referee |
| Request deadline | Within 36 hours of the incident |
| Can the replaced player return? | No, after replacement approval |
The controlling provision is clause 1.2.7 of the official men's Test Match Playing Conditions. This is a guide to sporting eligibility and the approval process. It explains the Test rule specifically, since the competition and format determine which conditions apply.
When is a concussion substitute allowed in Test cricket?
The conditions require a head or neck injury sustained during play and within the defined playing area. That area includes the field and the space between the boundary and perimeter boards. A concussion or suspected concussion must be formally diagnosed by the Team Medical Representative. Suspicion assessed through that process is enough to bring the replacement provision into consideration.
The medical finding does not itself select or approve another player. The rules separate the medical assessment from the referee's decision on eligibility and competitive balance. A team therefore needs both the documented basis for its request and an acceptable proposed replacement.
The Team Medical Representative or Team Manager submits the standard Concussion Replacement Request form. It must identify the injured player, specify the incident and its time, confirm the medical representative's view after examination, and identify the proposed replacement. Those details establish what happened and give the referee a basis for applying the rule.
What does like for like mean for a replacement?
The referee should ordinarily approve a player whose inclusion will not give the team an excessive advantage for the rest of the match. The assessment considers the role the injured player was likely to perform during the remaining play and the normal role of the proposed replacement. It is therefore more specific than matching a broad label such as batter or bowler.
For example, in a hypothetical request involving an all-rounder, the referee would consider the injured player's likely remaining contribution and the proposed player's usual contribution. That does not guarantee approval. The official standard focuses on the effect of the replacement during the remainder of that particular match.
The request ordinarily names someone from the list of nominated concussion replacements submitted for the match. In exceptional circumstances, the referee can consider a player outside that list. The same eligibility and competitive balance assessment still applies, so the exception does not remove the like for like requirement.
If using the replacement in their normal role would excessively advantage the team, the referee can impose conditions on the player's identity and involvement. This allows approval to be shaped around the replacement's appropriate role. It also explains why an approval should be read together with any restrictions announced for that player.
Can a concussion replacement bat and bowl?
A concussion replacement is different from an ordinary substitute fielder. Clause 24.1.2 states that an ordinary substitute cannot bowl or act as captain and can keep wicket only with the umpires' consent. The concussion provision permits a replacement player, whose participation is governed by the approval and any conditions the referee imposes.
That means the useful question is not simply whether a substitute can bat or bowl. First establish whether the player is an ordinary substitute fielder or an approved concussion replacement. Then check the terms of the approval. Assuming every player who comes onto the field has the same rights leads to the wrong reading of the match.
The incoming replacement inherits warnings, penalty time and suspensions imposed on the replaced player. Approval does not give the team a clean disciplinary or penalty record for that playing position. This inheritance is expressly stated in clause 1.2.7.5 of the current Test conditions.
Can the injured player return, and can a team appeal?
Once the referee approves the concussion replacement, the replaced player takes no further part in that match. Both players are considered to have played for records and statistical purposes. An approved replacement therefore does not erase the original player's appearance from the match record.
The referee may ask for more information when assessing a request. The final decision on the replacement request cannot be appealed by either team under clause 1.2.7.7. For the deadline, use the incident time: the Test document requires submission within 36 hours, rather than within 36 hours of a later team announcement.
The ICC playing conditions index provides separate documents for other formats and events. For related decisions while watching cricket, read our guides to DRS reviews, LBW rules and the follow-on.
