Is it possible for a bowler to bowl consecutive overs?

Question

In general, is it allowed for a single bowler to bowl two (or more) consecutive overs in international matches?

If yes, how many overs can the bowler bowl continuously? If no, is it not allowed from the beginning of international cricket history or did the ICC ban it recently?

As a special case, if a bowler bowls the first over, then an another bowler bowls two or three deliveries of the second over and can't continue bowling due to injury. Now will the first bowler be allowed to bowl the remaining balls of this second over?

Answer 1

No, it is not allowed to bowl chain overs in any Cricket matches.

See the law 22.1

1.. Number of balls
The ball shall be bowled from each end alternately in overs of 6 balls.

Is it not allowed from the beginning of international cricket history or did the ICC banned it recently?

It is not allowed from the beginning of Cricket history.

Does the first bowler allowed to bowl the remaining balls of this second over?

No a bowler can't bowl the remaining second over because as per rule he can't bowl two continues overs.

See the law 22.8

Bowler incapacitated or suspended during an over If for any reason a bowler is incapacitated while running up to deliver the first ball of an over, or is incapacitated or suspended during an over, the umpire shall call and signal Dead ball. Another bowler shall complete the over from the same end, provided that he does not bowl two overs consecutively, nor bowl parts of each of two consecutive overs, in that innings.

Answer 2

It is indeed forbidden for a bowler to bowl two overs in a row. Please note that it used to be possible, as explained by Gerald Brodribb in Next Man In. Until 1889, it was not possible for a bowler to change his bowling end more than twice in an innings, and he was allowed to bowl two consecutive overs to change ends. (However, it was forbidden to change ends twice in consecutive overs and therefore bowl three overs in a row.) The end change restriction and the possibility to bowl two consecutive overs were abolished in 1889.

Answer 3

While it is not allowed by the rules, it is indeed possible, and has happened:

In a 1951 in a test versus England, Alex Moir of New Zealand bowled 2 successive overs, the last before tea and the first after the interval!

This was an oversight on behalf of the umpires (and captains, batsmen and bowler as well).