Following India captain’s comments on the drawbacks of the impact player rule for the development of all-rounders, Delhi Capitals players Axar Patel and Mukesh Kumar have joined the chorus of disapproval.
The impact player rule was introduced in the 2023 IPL season after a trial run in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. It allows teams to bring in one of five nominated substitutes at any point during a match to replace a player in the starting lineup.
Axar Patel expressed his concerns, highlighting that the rule favors batters and bowlers over all-rounders. He stated, “As an all-rounder, I know the impact player rule will be used for a proper batter or bowler, but not for an all-rounder.” He further mentioned that he had discussed the issue with the Delhi Capitals management team, including captain Rishabh Pant, former captain Sourav Ganguly, and head coach Ricky Ponting.
Mukesh Kumar, a fast bowler, raised questions about the necessity of the rule with 12 players on the field. He pointed out that it reduces the pressure on incoming batters, who are less likely to be cautious about getting out and stabilizing the team. Kumar suggested that either the pitch conditions should be altered or the number of players on the field should be reduced to 11.
