There are 11 players in a cricket team that can be broadly divided into the wicketkeeper, batters, bowlers and all-rounders.
Cricket’s popularity is poised to soar with its inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. This won’t be the first Olympic appearance for the sport, as cricket was featured in the 1900 Olympics in Paris. That year, only two teams—one from France and another from England—competed in a two-day Test match, each comprising 12 players.
Since then, cricket has evolved significantly. Today, all major competitions, whether international or at the club level, adhere to the 11-a-side format. While shorter formats like six-a-side and five-a-side cricket exist, they are not commonly used in mainstream competitions involving top teams.
How many players in a cricket team
Each team can name a maximum of 11 players for a cricket match, be it in any format – Tests, 50-over ODI or T20s.
At any point during a cricket match, there are usually 13 players on the field – 11 from the bowling side and two from the batting side.
Roles in a cricket team
In a cricket team, the 11 players can be categorized into four roles: one wicketkeeper, batters, bowlers, and all-rounders.
Wicketkeeper
The wicketkeeper is the player wearing gloves and pads who stands behind the stumps at the batter’s end. While there’s no rule requiring a team to have a wicketkeeper, it’s highly unusual for teams to play without one. The wicketkeeper plays a crucial role by taking sharp catches, executing stumpings, directing bowlers on length, and advising on field placements.
Bowlers
Bowlers specialize in bowling and can be broadly divided into pacers and spinners.
Pacers aim to outpace batters with speed and movement. They can swing the ball in or out, and proficient bowlers can execute reverse swings with older balls. Pacers generally bowl with shiny new balls, but some can be deadly with old balls as well, utilizing shine and seam position effectively.
Spinners try to deceive batters with turn. They bowl slower deliveries and use their fingers and wrists to create spin off the pitch. Spinners can vary the length of their deliveries by adjusting the ball’s air. While they can use the new ball, they typically come into play later in the innings when the pitch offers more grip. Spinners can be further categorized into off-spinners and leg-spinners based on the direction of the spin.
Batters
Batters focus on scoring runs, with the two players who open the innings referred to as the openers.
All-rounders
All-rounders can both bat and bowl effectively. A batting all-rounder is primarily skilled in batting but can contribute with the ball, while a bowling all-rounder excels in bowling but can also score runs.
There are no fixed rules regarding the number of batters, bowlers, or all-rounders a team can select for a match. Team composition varies based on strategy, pitch conditions, and player availability. When a team is bowling, all players on the field, except for the bowler, serve as fielders.
Substitutions in cricket
Unlike football, where substitutions are a big part of the game, the concept doesn’t hold the same significance in international cricket.
Teams are allowed to substitute fielders in case of injuries but the subs are only allowed to field in that match, not bowl or bat. Catches and dismissals affected by the substitute fielders, however, count.
Furthermore if a bowler leaves the field due to injury or illness and then returns after receiving treatment, they have to be on the field for the exact amount of time they have been out before they can bowl again.
Similarly, a player, who was off the field before the innings turnover happened, cannot come out to bat immediately. After his team’s batting has started, he has to wait for the exact amount of time for which he was off the field before he is eligible to bat.
Since 2019, however, the International Cricket Council (ICC), cricket’s world governing body, has allowed the use of concussion replacements in all international cricket matches.
The rule comes into effect if a player suffers a concussion (generally an injury caused due to impact of a cricket ball) during a game but teams can only bring on a like-for-like replacement in these cases.
For example, if a pure batter has to go off the field with a concussion, the team can only replace him with another pure batter. A concussion replacement has to be okayed by the Match Referee.
Impact player rule in IPL
Tactical substitutions, however, have found a place in franchise-cricket leagues like the Big Bash League (BBL) and the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The Impact Player Rule, which was introduced in the IPL from the 2023 season, allows teams to make one tactical substitution to their playing XI in a match. In addition to the playing XI, a team needs to list four substitutes before the toss. The team can use any one of the four subs as its Impact Player during the match while abiding by certain stipulations.