A bowler in cricket bowls deliveries at various lines and lengths while simultaneously inculcating spin or swing on the ball. They bowl the cork ball at varied paces against which batters hit shots across all parts of the ground to score runs. The bowler’s role is such, that it requires sharp physical attributes in terms of stamina, strength, and recovery.
The number of overs that a bowler can bowl in T20s and One Day International matches is restricted to four and ten respectively. However, in test cricket, where each side bats alternatively twice across a span of three to five days, there is no restriction on the number of overs that they can bowl.
Given their workload, bowlers carry with them a high risk of injury. An injury like a muscle sprain is an internal injury whereas one like a bruise is an external injury. If the bowler suffers from an internal injury mid-match, they can take the consent of the umpire and leave the field. Should the umpire consent, it marks the beginning of a penalty time. The penalty time that an injured bowler serves cannot be over 90 minutes. If a bowler exceeds this time limit, then he or she will be suspended from fielding or bowling in the remainder of the innings. However, should the injured bowler return before 90 minutes, they can report their return to the umpire and get back to fielding. But they are allowed to bowl only after they spend the amount of time that they spent during their penalty period. If the bowler fails to inform about their return back on the field, the next ball can be deemed a no ball or the batting side gets five additional runs.
The off-field penalty time that the bowler serves on the field is only applicable for internal injuries. This rule is not applicable for a bowler who went off the field to nurse an external injury. Once they get the necessary treatment, this bowler can immediately resume their bowling. The bowler cannot immediately resume their bowling once they take the field.
Thus, a bowler can return to the field and resume bowling depending on the nature of the injury and the amount of time they spent off the field.
