Shastri bats for ‘Impact Player’ rule


As the IPL’s Impact Player rule drew some criticism from experts, former Indian cricketer and ex-head coach Ravi Shastri favoured the rule saying it has contributed to a number of thrilling finishes in the tournament.

BCCI introduced the Impact Player rule in the 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

“The Impact Player rule is good. You have to evolve with the times,” Shastri told Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube channel. “You know, it happens in other sports as well. It’s got tighter finishes. You have to evolve with the times and I think it’s a good rule. You saw the number of tight finishes we had in last year’s IPL. So, you know, it has made a big difference.”

Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary, himself said last week that the Impact Player rule is “not permanent” and a call on its use in subsequent editions of the IPL will be taken after a discussion with stakeholders following the conclusion of 2024 T20 World Cup.