Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has supported the Impact Player rule that has been prevalent in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he believes it adds more value to the “strategy”. The Impact Player rule in IPL 2024 has been the subject of heated debate over its implementation and consequences. Since the rule was implemented in 2023, the franchise has enjoyed a long batting unit, which has led to some high-scoring celebrations. Some players have opposed the rule. For instance, India captain Rohit Sharma has previously said that the restriction has hampered the development of all-rounders in the country.
He was the first high-profile Indian player to voice his opinion on the rule, while former New Zealand speedster Shane Bond had given his nod to the rule earlier.
Expressing his views on the rule, Ashwin told Kris Srikkanth’s YouTube show Cheeky Cheeka, “The reason I don’t think the Impact Player rule is that bad is because it adds a little bit more value to the strategy. The other side of the argument is that it doesn’t encourage all-rounders. But that doesn’t stop them.”
“In this generation, we don’t do that (batsmen bowling or vice versa). I’m not discouraged by the Impact Player rule. Look at Venkatesh Iyer, he’s playing for Lancashire now. There’s an opportunity to innovate and make the game fairer,” he added.
Ashwin further clarified his stance by citing the example of the IPL 2024 qualifier second round to substantiate his point.
Sunrisers Hyderabad faced Rajasthan Royals in the knockout stages. Pat Cummins-led side were put into bat first and posted 175/9. Royals responded by falling behind by 36 runs thanks to Shahbaz Ahmed, who was brought in as an impact substitute and took three wickets.
“Sunrisers (Hyderabad) brought in Shahbaz Ahmed as an impact player (after scoring 175 off 9 in his first outing against Rajasthan Royals). He has since become a match-deciding player (3 for 23). When Dew is likely to make the game one-sided, the team that bowls at second base gets an extra option as a counter,” Ashwin said.
“If you are batting at second base, you can substitute tactically by dropping an extra bowler for the batsman. The extra player makes the game tighter. Barring Kolkata and Mumbai where scores have surged, there has been no dramatic change elsewhere. Like Punjab Kings’ home ground (Mulanpur), they have all been playing 160-170,” he added.
Ashwin also claimed that several players who have risen through the ranks in the national team thanks to the rule, said, “Shahbaz Ahmed, Shivam Dubey, most importantly Dhruv Jurel… if it weren’t for the Impact Player Rule, he might never have gotten a chance. That’s why many players have gotten injured. I’m not saying that’s the only way players get injured, but it’s not that bad.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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