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The 'Impact Player' rule in the Indian Premier League has certainly changed the way teams have approached strategy and tactics. In the 2023 season, this rule wasn't fully maximised by the teams but this year, several sides have been able to soar to new heights with the insurance provided by an 'Impact Player'.
But this rule has so far favoured the batting side allowing them to take an aggressive approach and set or chase down massive scores. Addressing this and other many shortcomings of the 'Impact Player' regulation, several cricketers voiced their thoughts. The list includes Indian captain Rohit Sharma, and fast bowler Mohammed Siraj among others, who believe the 'Impact Player' rule has done more harm than good for the game.
4 Players who have criticized 'Impact Player' Rule in IPL 2024
Rohit Sharma
Speaking in the Club Prairie Fire podcast with Adam Gilchrist and Michael Vaughan, Indian captain Rohit Sharma expressed that the 'Impact Player' rule is good for entertainment but isn't cricket. He further argued this rule diminishes the roles of all-rounders like Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube.
"Eventually, cricket is played by 11 players, not 12 players. I am not a big fan of ‘Impact Player’, you are taking out so much from the game just because of little bit of entertainment, for people around." Talking about the impact on all-rounders, Sharma said, " I can give you so many examples, guys like Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube are not getting to bowl. For us (the Indian team), it is not a good thing you know."
"I don’t know what you can do about it but I am not a fan of it, frankly speaking. It is entertaining because there are 12 players, whoever the impact player is, you can change a player later seeing how the game goes, depending on how the pitch is behaving."