The sport of cricket witnesses batters face a barrage of deliveries thrown by bowlers against whom the batters try to score runs. Both batters and bowlers require immense physical abilities in terms of stamina, recovery and fatigue to consistently keep up the competitive play.
In T20s (20 overs per innings) and One Day International matches (50 overs per innings), a bowler can bowl a maximum of 4 and 10 overs each. In test cricket, where matches last for five days and each side bats twice, there are no restrictions on the number of overs that a bowler can bowl.
Bowlers too possess the risk of injury on the field, be it during bowling or while fielding. When a bowler gets an internal injury (e.g. hamstring), then the bowler can leave the field after taking the consent of the umpire. Once the umpire consents, it marks the beginning of the bowler’s penalty time.
The penalty time cannot be more than 90 minutes. If a bowler is out of action for 90 minutes, then the fielding side cannot allow the bowler to continue as a bowler or fielder during the match. If the bowler returns within 90 minutes, then the bowler can take the field after informing the umpire. If the bowler fails to inform about his or her return after their penalty time, then the umpire can signal the next ball as no ball or award 5 runs to the batting side.
The bowler cannot immediately resume their bowling once they take the field. Once the bowler returns to the field, then they have to serve the same amount of time on the field before resuming their bowling. This is applicable only if the bowler has suffered from an internal injury. In cases where the bowler was out of action because of an external blow, the bowler can immediately resume their bowling and penalty time is not applicable for them.
An injured bowler, depending on the type of injury and based on the protocols as mentioned in the law, can come bowl again.
