The rule is similar to the substitutions in football.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) veteran MS Dhoni does not support the Impact Player rule in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The rule was introduced in the IPL in 2023. It allows the teams to replace an on-field player with a player on the bench. It is similar to the substitutions in football.
There have been several impactful performances by impact players in the IPL. Ashutosh Sharma’s unbeaten 66 for Delhi Capitals (DC) against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Monday, which helped DC clinch a miraculous one-wicket win, is the latest example. However, several players, including Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, have criticised the rule, with the latter claiming that it could be disadvantageous for the development of all-rounders.
“When this rule was implemented, I felt it wasn’t really needed at that time. In a way, it helps me, but at the same time, it doesn’t. I still do my wicket keeping, so I’m not an impact player. I have to be involved in the game,” the former CSK skipper said during a show on JioHotstar.
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Thanks to the impact player rule, there have been multiple occasions of teams registering totals in excess of 250. The IPL 2024 witnessed eight such incidents, with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) posting the highest team total in IPL history (287/3 vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru). The impact player rule has also allowed teams to name an extra batter, which will benefit them in crunch situations of a game.
“A lot of people say the rule has led to more high-scoring games. I believe it’s more due to the conditions and the comfort level of players. The number of runs being scored isn’t just because of an extra batsman. It’s about the mind-set—teams now have the comfort of an extra batter, so they play more aggressively. It’s not that all four or five extra batters are being used—it’s just the confidence of having them. This is how T20 cricket has evolved,” Dhoni added.
MS Dhoni has represented CSK throughout his IPL career since 2008, barring the two seasons in 2016 and 2017 when CSK were banned due to the spot-fixing scandal. At that time, Dhoni played for the Rising Pune Supergiant. He led the now-defunct side in 2016 before stepping down as skipper ahead of IPL 2017. Dhoni has led Chennai Super Kings to five IPL titles, with the latest one in 2023.
To date, the Jharkhand cricketer has played 265 matches in the IPL. He has scored 5243 runs at a strike-rate of 137.47. Dhoni has 24 half-centuries to his name in the cash-rich league.
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