There was a time in cricket when an injured batter could take help from a runner. The runner would run between the wickets for the batter, who was unable to run due to injury or pain. This rule helped many players with cramps, muscle pulls, or serious discomfort.
Some innings were saved because of this rule. It gave teams a fair chance, even when their star batters were struggling with fitness. But this changed in 2011, when the International Cricket Council (ICC) banned the use of runners in international cricket.
ICC chose fairness over comfort; Bans Runners for Injured Batters in Cricket
The decision was made during the ICC’s Annual General Meeting in 2011. The main reason for removing the rule was misuse and confusion. Umpires found it hard to judge if a batter truly needed a runner or was taking unfair advantage. “Runners were often used in the wrong spirit,” said Haroon Lorgat, then ICC chief. “It’s hard for umpires to know if the injury is real or if it’s a tactic.”
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He added that bowlers don’t get replacements when they are injured. So, it was unfair to allow batters to continue with help.
One key incident was in 2009, when England captain Andrew Strauss refused to give a runner to Graeme Smith, who was suffering from cramps. This created more controversy around the rule.
Since then, batters like Rishabh Pant and Glenn Maxwell have played through serious pain but could not take runners. Pant batted with a fractured toe in 2025, while Maxwell played on one leg in the 2023 World Cup.
In the end, the ICC chose fairness over comfort. Removing the runner rule ensured that no side got an unfair advantage, keeping the game equal for both batters and bowlers.
