The introduction of an Impact Player to replace any cricketer in the Playing XI during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match will reduce the role of multi-talented players in the squad, Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky said. Ponting, during a promotional event on Friday. For example, a team may use a specialist hitter or specialist pitcher depending on the game situation. A team that has finished bowling and is chasing a big goal has the option of replacing a frontline bowler with a specialist batsman in the second half of the game.
“You don’t need to pick full players now because you can name a batting or bowling team and just take one out and bring in the other. Unless they are absolutely world class and they choose them. as a batsman or bowler, and not as a bits and pieces player, so I don’t see many teams this year using the guy who could bat at seven and bowl an over or two,” Ponting said.
He also added: “The fact that we found out about the impact player rule also after the auction… you have to work with what you have. I think if we had known about it before the auction, we would have looked at it in a slightly different light. It is what it is.”
According to the rules, one impact player can be chosen from the five substitutes. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has increased the playing team strength to 16 for this season’s IPL.
An impact player may be brought forward “(i) before the start of the innings or (ii) after the completion of an over or (iii) in the case of a batsman, at the fall of the wicket or when the batsman retires at any moment during the above. In addition, the bowling side may also bring in an impact player during the fall of a wicket, but he will not be allowed to bowl the remaining balls in the over if the wicket has fallen halfway.
“To be honest, it’s actually quite confusing,” Ponting admitted. “To work through the full range of different ways that we can use some of these players as far as the impact rule, we’ve got a little bit of work to do.”
The Impact Player rule was first used during the Big Bash League.
