Was a bit early to post that question without reading the other posts. Now,
Can't the game trigger the same set of codes to activate equipment change when it does for wickets or 15 over break or an injury break?
As you had mentioned that bat degrades with time, does the same rule applies to bats as helmets as to equipment change?
And about the helmet-less celebration, if it were those conventional helmets, maybe the cutscene can render it with the helmet already in his hand rather than removing it.