‘Impact Player’ Setback For Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli Despite Making Stance Clear

The meeting between the BCCI and all ten Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise owners is all set to take place on July 31, ahead of the mega auction for next season. During the meeting, the board and the franchises will discuss about number of retentions teams can make and the Right to Match (RTM) options in hand ahead of IPL 2025 mega auction. The future of the ‘Impact Player’ rule will also be up for debate after garnering criticism from all corners. Star players likes Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had voiced there opinions on the matter, expressing their disappointments.

For the unversed, the ‘Impact Player’ rule allows teams to essentially play with 12 players, meaning that they can add an extra batter or bowler at any point of the match.

Rohit had suggested that he is not a big fan of the Impact Player rule, while Kohli had also thrown his weight behind the India captain.

“Eventually, cricket is played by 11 players, not 12 players. I am not a big fan of ‘Impact Player’, you are taking out so much from the game just because of a little bit of entertainment, for people around. I can give you so many examples, guys like Washington Sundar, and Shivam Dube are not getting to bowl. For us, it is not a good thing you know. I don’t know what you can do about it but I am not a fan of it, frankly speaking,” Rohit had said.

“I agree with Rohit. Entertainment is one aspect of the game but there is no balance,” said Kohli.

Despite calls for the rule to be removed, a report in Sportstar has claimed that the ‘Impact Player’ rule is likely to keep its place for the upcoming IPL season.

“Several stakeholders – including the franchises and the broadcasters – believe that the new rule has only made the tournament more intense and at the same time, more competitive,” the report claimed.

India and Delhi Capitals (DC) all-rounder Axar Patel had also blamed the rule for limiting his batting during the last two seasons.