It is one of the buzzwords these days. Ever since Indian captain Rohit Sharma openly criticised the Impact Player rule in the Indian Premier League, reactions have slowly – but surely – started to pour in from the cricketing circles over its disadvantages to Indian cricket. Introduced last year in the IPL, the impact player rule enables teams to substitute a member of their starting XI with another player at any stage of the match. This means teams can adjust their lineup by replacing a bowler with an extra batter during a run chase, or vice versa if they are batting first.

But many now see the Impact Player rule as one of the main culprits behind this season's unprecedented high-scoring trend. The rule has posed challenges for players and coaches alike, leading to mixed opinions on whether it should be here to stay.

In the past month alone, five of the six highest team totals in IPL history have been achieved, which many believe is a testament to the rule's impact. Surpassing the 220-run mark has become a norm this year; there have been 11 instances of teams breaching the mark in the 2024 season, and we have only just passed the halfway mark.

For the record, in IPL 2023, the 220-run mark was crossed only seven times.

The overall scoring rate in this IPL season so far has been 9.42 runs per over, the highest ever recorded in an IPL season. The match between the Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru also set a new T20 aggregate world record with an astonishing 549 runs scored in just 40 overs.

While factors like flat pitches and short boundaries contribute to the surge in runs, the introduction of the IPL's Impact Player rule has emerged as a significant factor driving this season's extraordinary scoring spree.

"Whoever is making the rules thinks it will work as per the batter's convenience. It's difficult, there is pressure, but there's an opportunity to do better. If you have the skills, you can use them to your advantage. Everyone gets an extra batter because of the Impact Player rule, so everyone goes bang from the first ball. No one takes time to settle at the crease anymore,” Axar Patel, the Delhi Capitals all-rounder, said in a media interaction in Delhi.

"That is why I am not a big fan of Impact Player rule, because as an all-rounder, I know that they will either take a proper batter or a bowler, not an all-rounder.

Initially conceived for fan engagement and to enhance tactical depth in matches, the Impact Player rule has inadvertently led to a significant rise in scoring rates. This shift has disrupted team balance and marginalised the role of all-rounders within the squads.

"We (Rishabh), Dada (Sourav Ganguly) and Ricky (Ponting) have talked about it. I can bat early, but if you want to give the chance to young player, then you have to give them their position, but because of that (Impact Sub rule) I have to come down the order," Axar said.

The rule has empowered top-order batters to adopt aggressive strategies from the outset, leading to unprecedented scoring milestones in the tournament. For instance, in a recent match in Delhi, Sunrisers Hyderabad's opening duo of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma amassed a remarkable 125 runs during the powerplay, setting a new benchmark for explosive starts in the IPL.

Mukesh Kumar, one of the bowlers who was at the receiving end of Head’s blitzkrieg in the powerplay – he conceded 22 runs off his fifth over against the SRH batter – expressed his bafflement at the rule. He argued the need for the rule when such a condition doesn’t exist in international cricket.

“If 12 players are not playing at the international level, then what is the need of it in IPL? With 12 players, even if four wickets are down, the next player is not scared of getting out or making the team stable, they come and play their shots. So either the nature of tracks should be changed or 12 should not be allowed," said Mukesh.

‘If you’re good, you will play’

While active cricketers have staunchly criticised the rule, those in the coaching roles see some merit in boosting their side’s chances for a win with the 12th-player option. DC’s director of cricket, Sourav Ganguly, believes that a skilful all-rounder will always find a place in the side, citing the examples of Rashid Khan, Hardik Pandya, Glenn Maxwell, and Mitchell Marsh.

"Little bit (affected), but good all-rounder still plays, isn't it? Hardik Pandya is still playing. You look at Rashid, he's playing. He's in the 11th straight away, so good ones will always play. Glenn Maxwell played, obviously, he's taken a bit of a break, Mitch Marsh played for us, although he didn't get enough runs for us. But good ones will always be apart because they contribute either with the bat or with the ball," Ganguly said.

"I don't think it diminishes the all-rounder's role, but then for average all-rounders, you have the option of bringing in a better batsman and a better bowler, but the good ones will always find a place in the side."

When this publication asked the side’s head coach, Ricky Ponting, about Axar resorting to bat lower in the order, he affirmed that it had less to do with the Impact Player ruling and more about the individual team roles. Still, he wasn’t entirely dismissive of the rule.

“See… Impact Player, I'm not sure about it over whether it's good or bad for all-rounders. It's certainly leading to more runs being scored, and that's ideal for the league,” he said.

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