New batters will be on strike for the next ball even if the players in the middle cross while a catch is taken in all cricket from 1 October.
The change, first seen in The Hundred, comes in a laws update from the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), guardians of cricket’s laws and spirit.
The ban of using saliva to shine the ball, introduced because of Covid-19, will also become a permanent change.
More leeway will be given for wides when batters move in their crease.
In a further change, the controversial ‘Mankad’ dismissal - where a bowler runs out the non-striker in their delivery stride if the non-striker is backing up and has left their crease - is moved from the ‘unfair play’ section (Law 41) to be included alongside other run-outs (Law 38).
Other amendments include “dead ball” being called if either side is disadvantaged by a person, animal or object on the field of play.
The rule change which ensures the new batsman is always on strike is designed to reward the bowler for taking a wicket.
The only time a new batter will not face the next delivery is if the wicket falls at the end of an over.