How do I nominate my team, and can I change a player?

Under Law 1.2 of the Laws of Cricket (2017 Code, 4th Edition 2026):

• Nominate in writing: each captain nominates their players in writing to one of the umpires before the toss.
• Changing a player: no player may be replaced after the nomination without the consent of the opposing captain. If consent is given, the captain of the team making the change informs the umpires and scorers.
• The replacement is treated as the same player: a replacement cannot bat in an innings in which the player they replaced has completed their innings, and inherits any unserved Penalty time, warnings or suspensions that applied to the original player.
• If you are unavailable: if the captain is not available to nominate the players, any person associated with the team may act as deputy to do so (Law 1.3.2).
• Numbers: a side has eleven players including the captain, though by agreement sides may have fewer or more than eleven, and no more than eleven may field at any time (Law 1.1).
• Who may bat and bowl: only a nominated player may bat or act as a runner (Law 25.1), and a substitute fielder may not bowl or act as captain (Law 24.1.2).