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Delhi Capitals allrounder Axar Patel and his teammate Mukesh Kumar have voiced their opposition to the Impact Player rule in the IPL, with Axar expressing concerns about its impact on his batting position and Mukesh calling for its abolition if no meaningful alternative support is provided for bowlers. Explore insights from Axar Patel & Mukesh Kumar on the Impact Player Rule.
The Impact Player rule, introduced in 2023, allows all IPL teams to substitute a player – batter or bowler – during their respective innings as per the demands of the match. While the rule has been hailed for adding excitement to the game, it has also faced criticism, particularly from bowlers.
Axar Patel, who considers himself an allrounder, feels that the rule favors batters and has affected his batting position in the team. He said, “Whoever is making the rules, they are thinking that everything will work as per batter’s convenience… Because of the Impact Sub rule, everyone gets one more batsman so they think that they will use the batsman in case, the batting unit doesn’t go well.”
He further added, “That is why I am not a big fan of the rule, because as an allrounder I know that they will either take a proper batsman or a bowler, not an allrounder.”
Mukesh Kumar echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the unfair advantage the rule gives to batters. He said, “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.”
On the other hand, David Warner, also from Delhi Capitals, acknowledged that while the rule has diminished the role of allrounders, it offers captains a chance to be tactically flexible. He said, “Well, the game is evolving, right? So I think people are just trying different things… I feel like it’s taken the all-round option out now.”
Michael Hussey, the batting coach of Chennai Super Kings, sees the rule as a double-edged sword, acknowledging its entertainment value but also its challenges for bowlers. He said, “It’s hard for bowlers, especially if the conditions are good for batting because the batting orders are lengthened and batsmen have more freedom to come out and continue to go hard.”
The Impact Player rule has sparked a debate among players and experts alike, with its future in the IPL likely to be a topic of discussion among stakeholders.
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