What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of The Impact Player Rule?

Seventeen years since its inception, the IPL has transformed into a leading spectacle in the world. The league, with its city-based teams, keeps fans on the edge of their seats throughout the April-May window. In pursuit of ever-growing glory, the board introduced a new rule to the tournament ahead of the 2023 season. The 16th season of the IPL introduced the Impact Player rule. Two years into its run, the rule has met significant criticism from both fans and players. Thus, the BCCI, in a meeting on July 31st with the IPL team owners, discussed the rule's future in the league. While there has been no confirmation yet, the Impact Player rule is likely to be scrapped from the IPL ahead of the next season.

What is the Impact Player Rule?

The Impact Player rule first appeared in Australia’s Big Bash League. The rule allows teams to substitute a player at any time during the match. The player replaced by the substitute is then ruled out for the remainder of the match. Along with announcing the Playing XI at the toss, the captains also announce five substitute options who are eligible to enter the team later when the skipper wants to use the impact substitute.

In its true sense, the rule enables a team to adjust the Playing XI by the innings in the match. Additionally, the rule has made it easier for the skipper to choose an impact player based on the pitch conditions. Call a spinner if it turns, call a pacer if there’s swing—it’s all allowed. Throughout the history of cricket, the Playing XI announced at the toss was a stone-carved decision. No matter the format, teams were not subjected to any changes during the game.

Injuries on the field, however, were the only case where a substitute came into play. The injury substitute, too, picked up from where the injured player left off, filling in for his absence. The impact substitute, on the other hand, is treated as an individual entity. The player is equipped with the full quota of his play. A bowler who joins midway through the impact rule can bowl all four overs, no matter who he replaces. Likewise, a batter is treated as a counting wicket, no matter when he joins.

The Disadvantages of the Impact Player Rule

Reaping all that it offers, teams used the impact player rule as soon as the league started. The IPL 2023 opener saw the four-time champions, CSK, using the rule first. Tushar Deshpande became the first-ever impact player in the history of the IPL. Having batted first, Chennai substituted the pacer in the second inning of the match. The use of the new rule is rampant, with a substitute used in every match.

The first concern that cropped up about the rule was its effect on the role of an all-rounder in the team. When the impact player rule came into play, it nullified the presence of an all-rounder. The team batting first can start with a specialist batter in the XI. Subsequently, the batter can be replaced by a specialist bowler in the second inning. Similarly, the team chasing a target can swap any of its options for a clean-hitter toward the end of the chase. Where does an all-rounder go in the mix? The need to have a balanced team has now jumped out of the window.

The impact rule is no minor transition. Announcing the team after the toss and adding a player as the situation plays out has changed the entire dynamic. Every team now bats deep; every team now bowls with an extra option. Until now, almost every team has batted till the 8th wicket. Likewise, almost every match has witnessed a batter getting replaced by a bowler as the team batting first gets to defend. The rule has essentially rendered the game a 12-player showdown. A specialist bowler or a power-hitter can enter and play according to the situation demands.

The Flip Side: Positives Of The Impact Player Rule

Not all aspects of the impact player rule are negative as perceived. The introduction of this rule in the IPL aided the tournament’s core motive: to tap into and refine young players at the top level. Impact players present a performing chance to an extra player, letting him gain the deserved attention for his skills. In recent years, the IPL has seen the emergence of many regional talents like Ashutosh Sharma of PBKS and Nitish Reddy of SRH.

Moreover, the rule has boosted the entertainment aspect of the game and the league. The availability of an extra batter down the order has provided freedom to the top-order batters. Thus, IPL 2024 featured openers going for an aggressive approach and taking the powerplay by storm. The biggest examples of this phenomenon are Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, the SRH openers. Sharma, a young Indian from Punjab with a strike rate of over 200 throughout the tournament, presented a spectacle for the fans. Moreover, the fraternity identified that even an Indian player possesses the calibre to perform like that at the top order. Beyond the game’s perspective, the added drama and high-scoring matches have aided the broadcasters significantly.

However, now that the BCCI has discussed the rule’s continuity in the league with the concerned stakeholders, it seems like the impact player rule has seen its last in the IPL. Players like Virat Kohli and Mohammed Siraj criticized the rule during IPL 2024 for turning the game entirely in the batting side’s favour. Thus, if the involved players are openly against the rule, it doesn’t appear to have a long road ahead in the IPL.