Cricket Australia announced a major change in their guidelines as the board made neck guards in the helmets mandatory for players from October 1.
Neck guards do not come attached to the helmets, and it is an individual’s choice if he wants to use the neck guard or not. However, CA made the neck protectors compulsory in a move to work towards players’ safety in the sport.
The protectors came into the scene after Phil Hughes’ death. Notably, Hughes was hit by a bouncer during a 2014 Sheffield Shield match, which resulted in his death. The board has been mulling over this decision for a while, but a few cricketers like David Warner, Steve Smith, and Usman Khawaja were not entirely keen on it.
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Further, the players who will not wear a neck protector from October 1 will draw a heavy fine. Meanwhile, in 2019, Steve Smith stated his reasons for not opting for neck protectors as it makes him feel claustrophobic.
“I have used them, and my heart rate went up, and I just felt claustrophobic. It feels like being stuck in an MRI scan machine.”