Cricket New Ball Rules Explained
When and how the fielding team can take the new ball matters greatly in Test cricket. This guide covers the new ball laws, why it helps bowlers, and the strategic decisions around taking or delaying the new ball.
What Is the New Ball?
At the start of each innings in Test cricket, the fielding team begins with a new ball — a fresh, hard, shiny cricket ball. A new ball is offered again after 80 overs of the same ball have been bowled. The fielding captain can choose to take the new ball immediately after 80 overs, or delay — continuing with the old ball if it is providing more assistance to their bowlers.
Why the New Ball Helps Bowlers
A new ball is harder and shinier than an old one. The hardness generates more pace off the pitch — deliveries reach the batter faster. The shine on one side (maintained by fielders polishing it) allows the ball to swing through the air. Pace bowlers benefit most from a new ball: they can extract pace, bounce, and swing that becomes harder to achieve as the ball softens and loses its sheen.
The Old Ball and Reverse Swing
As the ball ages, it becomes rough and soft — and begins to reverse swing rather than conventional swing. Some bowling attacks actually prefer to continue with the old ball if they are skilled at reverse swing. India with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, or Pakistan with their legendary pace attack, have sometimes delayed taking the new ball to continue exploiting reverse swing with the 60-over-plus ball.
Strategic Decisions Around the New Ball
Taking the new ball when a set batter partnership is consolidating can be decisive — the harder ball, new swing, and psychological lift for the bowling side disrupts set batters. Captains often time the new ball for a specific pairing of bowlers — the attack's two best pace bowlers ready to bowl when the new ball is available. Coordination between captain and coaching staff on new ball timing is standard in professional cricket.
Limited-Overs Cricket New Ball Rules
In ODI cricket, each team gets one 50-over innings — so there is only one new ball for each innings in standard play. Many ODI competitions now use two new balls simultaneously (one from each end), ensuring the ball remains harder and swings more throughout the innings. T20 cricket also uses a new ball for each team's innings, though it only lasts 20 overs, by which time it is still relatively new.
Frequently asked questions
After how many overs can the fielding team take the new ball in Tests?
The fielding team is entitled to take the new ball after 80 overs have been bowled with the current ball in Test cricket. They can choose to take it immediately or continue with the older ball.
Why would a captain delay taking the new ball?
A captain might delay taking the new ball if the old ball is producing excellent reverse swing for their bowlers — switching to the new ball would lose that advantage. Reverse swing is typically most effective between overs 50-80; past that, the new ball offers fresh swing, ending the reverse swing window.
In ODIs, are two new balls used?
Many ODI competitions use two new balls simultaneously — one from each end — ensuring the ball stays harder and swings more throughout the innings. This replaced the one-ball rule that saw the ball become extremely old and soft in the final 20 overs.