IPL needs to take away the impact player rule: Wasim Jaffer

The 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction has created a buzz of anticipation surrounding it, especially after the introduction of the Impact Player rule in the previous season, altering the dynamics of player selection. Along with many perks, this rule allowed the bowling team to bring in an Impact Player who could bowl a full quota of four overs, irrespective of the number of overs bowled by the replaced player.

Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer shared his perspective on this rule, he emphasised on aspect of all-rounders getting away with not bowling much. He urged for its removal for the betterment of Indian cricket. Jaffer took to Twitter to express his concerns, stating,

What is the ‘Impact’ of rule?

The Impact Player rule brought forth a significant change in team strategies. Each team had to list four substitutes at the toss, from which they could choose their Impact Player. The captain held the authority to nominate the Impact Player at the start of an innings, between overs, or in specific situations like a wicket falling or a batter retiring.

However, there were limitations to when the bowling side could bring in an Impact Player during an over. If substituted mid-over due to a wicket or a retired batter, the Impact Player wouldn’t be allowed to complete the remaining balls of the over. Furthermore, the replaced player couldn’t re-enter the match, not even as a substitute fielder.

An essential condition stipulated by the league was that the Impact Player had to be Indian, except in cases where a team had fewer than four overseas players in the starting eleven. The upcoming auctions and matches are anticipated to reflect these considerations as teams strategise their player selections.