MS Dhoni is undoubtedly the biggest star in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Yes, you have Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, but they aren’t close to being the legendary wicketkeeper. The crowd erupts whenever Dhoni comes out to bat, even if for a couple of balls.
With fitness on the decline, Dhoni plays fewer and fewer balls in the IPL. That’s why since 2023, he has played just 132 balls in the IPL. 31 matches were played during this period. That’s why when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) implemented the impact player rule in the tournament, many thought that they wanted Dhoni to continue, and that’s why they brought the rule.
Does the impact player rule help MS Dhoni?
Dhoni has spoken on the rule. He felt that it was brought to increase the Television Rating Point (TRP). The wicketkeeper admits that it helps him, as he can come to bat as low as number eight for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). But Dhoni pointed out that despite the impact player rule, he still keeps the wickets for his team.
“If you lose a few wickets early, more often than not you are out of the game. So, when this rule came, I felt it was not really needed at this point because TRP was up, the quality of cricket was good, and good players were coming up, but it was implemented. In a way, it helps me, but it still doesn’t help me because I still do my keeping, so I am not an impact player; I have to be involved in the game,” Dhoni told JioStar.
“When it first came out, I said one thing: that IPL is in such a good position, aur koi masala daalne ki zaroorat nahi hai (there’s no need to spice it up further). Games were already quite high-scoring; they were going well, and the matches were quite competitive. We have seen it often in this format that matches end in five overs — you lose too many wickets, fail to make proper runs, and the opposition wins easily.” the former CSK captain added.
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