Table of Contents
Impact Player rule remains a burning topic amid the ongoing IPL 2026 season. Some say the rule is beneficial for the Indian Premier League, while some say it is harmful for the overall Indian cricket.
Despite the debate, the rule remains in effect, and the teams in the league are using it, as it allows the franchises to use an extra batter or bowler, according to the conditions of the match. In an exclusive interview with Revsportz, IPL chairman Arun Dhumal addressed the Impact Player topic and revealed the officials’ thinking and learnings regarding this.
Impact Player rule has made the game more competitive: Arun Dhumal
Arun Dhumal stated that the debates are mostly limited in the media, as they have not received any negative feedback. In contrast to the controversy, he claimed that broadcasters appreciated the rule as it makes an IPL match more competitive.
“These debates keep happening in the media. We have not received any such feedback. As far as our understanding goes, it has made the game more competitive. Broadcasters have also appreciated this rule,” the IPL chairman told RevSportz during the interview.
Should IPL remove the controversial rule?
Should IPL remove the rule? In response, Dhumal said that there is no harm in reviewing it. But, they are simply not considering changing or removing it, as they have not received any negative remarks regarding the Impact Player rule.
“Not necessarily. But if there is a need to review it… Actually, there is no harm in reviewing anything. Reviewing does not necessarily mean changing it. We have not heard any negative remarks regarding the Impact Player Rule. But if any such observations come to us, we can always review things in the interest of the game and the tournament,” he added.
In the past, there were multiple active and former cricketers and cricket experts who commented against the Impact Player rule in the league. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are among the active players who went against the rule.
Utilising the rule, teams often prefer to include either a regular batter or a regular bowler in the playing combination, depending on the situation of the match. A part of cricket experts are worried about the future of the all-rounders because of the rule.
“I generally feel that it is going to hold back [development of allrounders] because eventually cricket is played by 11 players, not 12 players,” Rohit said on the Club Prairie Podcast in April, 2024.”
“I’m not a big fan of impact players. You are taking out so much from the game just to make it a little entertainment for the people around. But if you look at the genuinely just cricketing aspect of it…. I can give you so many examples – guys like Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube are not getting to bowl, which for us [India team] is not a good thing,” he said in the discussion.
“I agree with him [Rohit]; I say it how it is. If you see in this IPL, okay, entertainment is [on] one side, but the bowlers are feeling like what they should do [to restrict the batters],” Virat Kohli told Jio Cinema in the same year.
“I have never experienced anything like it where bowlers think they will concede a four or a six every ball. This is a very high-level of cricket, and in my opinion, it shouldn’t be that dominant [in one aspect]. There is a beauty in having an equal battle between bat and ball,” he continued.
Read More: IPL 2026 TV viewership drops by 26%: 3 biggest reasons behind decline
