X factor in BBL: What is X factor subs in BBL? How many substitutes can be made in a Big Bash League match?

X factor in BBL: X-factor substitute was among the three new innovative rule changes made to the Big Bash League last year.

During the first match of the ongoing 11th season of the Big Bash League between Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Stars in Sydney, defending champions Sydney Sixers have registered a thumping victory in the tournament opener. In what is a 152-run win at the Sydney Cricket Ground, it is the biggest-ever victory (by margin of runs) in the Big Bash League.

Chasing a mammoth 214-run target, all Stars could manage was 61/10 in 11,1 overs as veteran spinner Steve O’Keefe registered match-winning bowling figures of 4-0-14-4.

Asked to bat first by Stars captain Glenn Maxwell (5) in the first innings, Sixers put on board a formidable 213/4 in 20 overs on the back of individual half-centuries from wicket-keeper batter Josh Philippe (83) and captain Moises Henriques (76*).

What is X factor in BBL?

Fans must have noticed both the teams had named a couple of players each as their “X-factor” substitutes in addition to their respective Playing XIs during the bat flip.

While the two players for Sixers were pacer Nick Winter and Benjamin Manenti, Stars had named spinners Clint Hinchliffe and Tom O’Connell as their potential substitutes.

Readers must note that X-factor rule was among the three innovative rules introduced in the Big Bash League last year. The rule is a modified version of the ‘Super Sub’ rule which was introduced in international cricket a decade-and-a-half ago.

According to BBL’s X-factor rule, captains submit two more names in addition to their respective Playing XIs. At the 10-over mark of the first innings, each team has an option of swapping one out of the aforementioned two players as their ‘X-factor’ player.

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Having said that, the same doesn’t mean that anyone from the Playing XI can be substituted. For teams batting first, batters who would be batting at the 10-over mark or have been dismissed before it can’t be substituted. Only the batters who are yet to bat by the 10th over can be substituted.

For teams bowling first, only bowlers who have bowled a solitary over by the 10-over mark will be allowed to substitute. Anyone with more than one over to his name wouldn’t be allowed to be swapped.