How many players are in a cricket team?
B · Beginner · Who can play, and who can come on? · 14 of 14A cricket team has 11 players, one of them the captain. Each captain names the 11 in writing before the toss. After that, a player can be changed only with the other captain's consent, or through a replacement the rules provide for, such as a concussion replacement. Substitutes may field but cannot bat or bowl.
How it works
- Teams can agree before a match to play with more or fewer than 11, but no more than 11 may field at once.
- If a side is reduced during the match, for any reason, the match goes on as long as the Laws allow.
- A replacement agreed by the other captain counts as the same player: they cannot bat if the player they replaced has already batted in that innings, and they take on any warnings or penalty time.
- If the captain is unavailable, a deputy acts. After the teams are named, only a named player can be the deputy.
- The captains are responsible for the game being played fairly as well as within the Laws.
- In ICC internationals, each side also names its substitute fielders before the toss: up to six in Tests and four in ODIs and T20 internationals.
Tricky cases
Who is the 12th man?
A common name for a substitute fielder. They can field, but not bat or bowl.
Can a team play with fewer than 11?
Yes. If a player cannot continue, the side plays on short, unless a replacement is allowed.
Can a team change its XI after the toss?
Only with the other captain's consent, before play starts. Once play is under way, only for a replacement the rules allow.
Why the rule exists
Naming the side before the toss stops a captain choosing the team to suit the toss or the conditions.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| The Laws | 11 a side unless agreed; named to an umpire before the toss | L1.1, 1.2.1 |
| ICC men's Tests | 11 plus up to six substitute fielders, named to the Match Referee | PC-T 1.2.1 |
| ICC men's ODIs and T20 internationals | 11 plus up to four substitute fielders | PC-O 1.2.1, PC-I 1.2.1 |
| Leagues | Some have their own substitution rules, such as the IPL's Impact Player | Not covered |
From the rule book
MCC Laws of Cricket, Laws 1.1 to 1.4, 4th Edition, in force from 1 October 2026. ICC men's playing conditions, clause 1.2, October 2026. Checked 13 October 2026. Official documents: MCC Laws of Cricket (PDF); ICC playing conditions (PDF).