Amidst the excitement of the Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026), there is a ruckus over a rule outside the field. The debate regarding the ‘Impact Player’ rule has intensified in the corridors of cricket. Where veteran players like Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill openly opened a front against this rule.
Apart from Shubhman Gill, Hardik Pandya and Akshar Patel had also objected to this rule. Players say that due to this the importance of all-rounders in cricket is decreasing and the real balance of the game is deteriorating. According to media reports, this issue was also discussed in the captains’ meeting held at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) headquarters on March 25, where most of the captains demanded the removal of this rule.
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What are the impact player rules?
The Impact Player rule was implemented in 2023. Under this, any team gets the freedom to change one player during the match. For example, if a team bowls first, it can include an extra batsman in the second innings. Similarly, the team can change the bowler or batsman as per its need, which brings flexibility in the strategy.
Most impact on all-rounders
This rule is having the biggest impact on all-rounders. Earlier all-rounders used to help in creating balance in the team with both batting and bowling but now teams are using different specialist players. Due to this, the role of all-rounders is becoming limited and their usefulness is decreasing, which is the biggest concern of the players.
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The rule will continue till 2027
BCCI has clarified that the Impact Player rule will be applicable from 2025 to 2027. After this, a decision will be taken in a review meeting whether to continue it further or not. However, amid the growing resentment of captains and players, it will be important to see whether the board makes any changes on this or not.
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