ODI Rule Change Revives Reverse Swing and Tests Batters at Death
· Sports · BBC Sport, BBC News
A rule change introduced in July 2025 allowing captains to choose between two white balls after 34 overs has brought a reverse swing renaissance in one-day international cricket. The adjustment helps bowlers extract more swing with an older ball during the final overs of an innings. Statistics show that half of full deliveries from pace bowlers in the final 10 overs have swung more than one degree since the rule change took effect, up from 35% previously. Pace bowlers' economy rates in the final five overs have dropped from 8.40 to 7.95 runs per over, while bowling averages decreased from 19.2 to 18.3 runs per wicket. England and Sri Lanka are among the teams adapting effectively to the conditions ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
Why it matters
The altered dynamics of reverse swing shift the balance between bat and ball in limited-overs cricket, forcing teams to rethink their death-over tactics.
Read the original report — BBC Sport
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