Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) announced on Thursday that it will introduce a new “designated batter and fielder” rule starting from its 16th season in the men’s competition.
The rule is similar to the Indian Premier League (IPL) Impact Player system, which allows teams to substitute one of the five bench players at any stage of a match.
Under the new BBL rule, teams will have the option to nominate a designated batter before the bat flip, which is the league’s version of the coin toss. The designated batter will be allowed to bat but will not be permitted to field or bowl.
If a team chooses to name a designated batter, it must also nominate a designated fielder. The designated fielder will not be allowed to bowl but may serve as the wicketkeeper.
Teams that do not wish to use this option will field a traditional playing XI. Cricket Australia’s General Manager of the BBL, Alistair Dobson, said the change reflects the league’s long-standing focus on innovation.
“The Big Bash was built on the spirit of innovation and evolution, and our new designated batter and fielder rule is about giving teams more strategic options and creating new dynamics for fans to enjoy,” Dobson said.
He added the rule allows fans to see top batters and fielders play more often and gives teams more flexibility in how they approach matches in BBL 16.
Previously, the BBL experimented with the ‘X-factor player’ rule in season 10. Under that rule, a substitute who was not named in the playing XI could replace a player who had not yet batted or had bowled only one over.
However, teams were allowed to activate the X-factor substitution only at the 10th over of the first innings, a rule that generally benefited the team batting second.
The new designated batter and fielder rule is considered an evolved version of the X-factor player system.
