IPL to introduce concussion sub, third umpire for no balls

NEW DELHI: India’s cricket board on Monday said a concussion substitute and a third umpire for no balls would be introduced in the upcoming lucrative Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament.

“The concussion substitute and the no-ball rule are new additions for the season,” the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Sourav Ganguly, told the Cricbuzz website.

In August, new rules for concussion substitutes adopted by the International Cricket Council were used for the first time in Test cricket when Australia’s Steve Smith was replaced by Marnus Labuschagne during the Ashes.

The introduction of a dedicated official for observing no-balls comes after several run-ins between players and officials with the standard of umpiring questioned.