Toss in Cricket

The coin flip before a match that decides who chooses to bat or field first.

What is a Toss?

The toss is conducted by the two captains, typically 30 minutes before the scheduled start. The winning captain chooses whether to bat or field first — a decision heavily influenced by pitch conditions, weather forecast, and historical results at that ground. Once made, the decision cannot be reversed, even if conditions change moments later. In some tournament formats, the toss has been experimentally removed or replaced (visiting team choice) specifically to reduce home-ground pitch advantage.

In play

Overcast morning, pitch looks damp. Captain wins the toss and immediately chooses to bowl first, hoping to exploit the seam movement before the sun burns off the moisture and the pitch flattens out.

More laws terms

• ConcedeRuns given away by the bowler or fielding side, or a wicket/lead given up.
• WicketThe word with three different meanings in cricket — the stumps, a dismissal, and the pitch itself.
• CreaseThe white lines marked on the pitch that define where batters and bowlers must operate.
• Striker / Non-StrikerThe two batters at the crease — the striker faces the bowling, the non-striker waits at the other end.
• OverA set of six legal deliveries bowled from one end, after which a different bowler takes over from the other end.
• BoundaryThe rope marking the edge of the playing field — and the four or six runs scored when the ball reaches or crosses it.