Is the impact player rule needed in the IPL? The new invention, which allows a team to substitute a player at any point of the match, has been heavily criticized. Fans and experts were already at odds with it, and now the players have also joined the bandwagon.
No total enough with the ‘impact sub rule’
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad expressed his displeasure with the rule after his side was handed a comfortable defeat. Despite scoring 176 against the Lucknow Super Giant on what was a difficult pitch, CSK suffered a crushing 8-wicket loss. In his post-match interview, Ruturaj said:
“Slightly difficult with such a total; with the impact sub rule, you need 10-15 or even 20 runs extra.”
IPL 2024
All-rounders & bowlers under attack
Although Ruturaj Gaikwad is a big name himself, he isn’t the first prominent player to go after the impact player rule. Indian cricket team skipper Rohit Sharma had expressed his thoughts earlier, claiming that all-rounders will grow due to the rule. Talking on the ‘Club Prairie Fire’ podcast, he said:
“I am not big fan of impact player rule, honestly speaking. It is going to hold all-rounders back, guys like Shivam Dube & Washington Sundar aren’t getting to bowl which is not a good thing for us – it is entertaining as there are 12 players, giving lots of options”.
The world’s best bowler at the moment, Jasprit Bumrah, wasn’t too happy about the rule either. As a bowler, he felt that the rule is swinging the pendulam towards batters even more. The Mumbai Indians pace spearhead said:
“This format is a little difficult for the bowlers, with time restrictions and impact player rules. It gives the license to the batters to go after the bowlers A bowler becomes half of what he actually is because of this rule.”