In a historic move during the Duleep Trophy 2025 semi-final in Bengaluru, West Zone wicketkeeper Saurabh Nawale became the first-ever serious injury replacement in Indian domestic cricket. The 24-year-old replaced Harvik Desai, who suffered a quadricep injury during the clash against Central Zone.
This unprecedented substitution marks the beginning of a new era in Indian domestic cricket, as the BCCI officially introduced the “Serious Injury Replacement” rule for the 2025–26 season.
Nawale’s Sudden Call-Up and Performance
Saurabh Nawale, who also plays for Maharashtra alongside Ruturaj Gaikwad, was drafted into the West Zone XI after Desai’s injury. The injury occurred during active play, fulfilling the criteria laid out by the BCCI for the new substitution rule.
Nawale batted at No. 3 but managed only 9 runs off 39 deliveries in his brief appearance. Although his performance wasn’t remarkable with the bat, his inclusion has already etched his name in the history books as the first player to be brought in under the serious injury clause.
What Is the BCCI’s Serious Injury Replacement Rule?
Previously, teams in Indian domestic cricket could only field a substitute in case of a concussion. Now, under the latest BCCI guidelines, a like-for-like replacement is allowed in case of a serious on-field injury.
Here’s what the rule says:
“If a player sustains a serious injury during the course of the relevant match, a Serious Injury Replacement may be permitted in the following circumstances. The serious injury must have been sustained during play and within the playing area… due to an external blow and result in fracture, deep cut, dislocation etc.”
The injured player must be completely unavailable for the remainder of the match, and the replacement must be as close as possible in skill set and role – hence, a “like-for-like” substitute.
This rule is yet to be implemented in international cricket, even though there have been recent cases that could have warranted such a move. For instance, Rishabh Pant continued to bat after breaking his toe during the Lord’s Test against England in 2025, despite not keeping wickets.
A Trial Run for International Cricket?
With this rule now active in Indian domestic cricket, it may serve as a test case for the ICC to consider introducing similar regulations at the international level. Given the increasing intensity and pace of the modern game, injury substitutions could help maintain fairness while ensuring player safety.
Whether or not this concept is adopted globally remains to be seen. For now, Saurabh Nawale’s debut as an injury replacement has opened a new chapter in the way cricket is played and governed in India.
