IPL Trophy
Credit: PTI File Photo
New Delhi: The Indian Premier League's (IPL) "impact player" rule has led to skyrocketing totals and quenched fans' thirst for runs but not everyone is happy with the change, especially the all-rounders in the popular T20 tournament.
Introduced last season, the rule allows teams to bring in a substitute at any time for a player in the starting 11.
Teams have been using it to great effect in the current campaign, swapping out a bowler for a batter during a run chase and bringing up 200-plus totals frequently.
Sunrisers Hyderabad used the rule to their advantage a different way.
Against Royal Challengers Bengaluru earlier this month, opener Travis Head smashed 102 off 41 balls as Sunrisers posted an IPL record 287-3, which bettered their own mark of 277-3 earlier in the season.
After their innings was over, Hyderabad replaced Head with bowler Mayank Markande, who claimed 2-46 in their 25-run victory.
But the whispers of discontent among some players have grown louder.
"I feel an all-rounder's role is in danger with the impact player rule," Delhi Capitals' Axar Patel told JioCinema after Wednesday's victory against Gujarat Titans.
"Every team is looking to play either a pure batter or a pure bowler as the impact player, and the all-rounders are not being used."
Patel smashed 66 and claimed 1-28 in the match to prove the value of an all-rounder as Delhi secured their fourth win in nine matches.
India captain Rohit Sharma said he is not a fan of the rule as it will hold back the development of all-rounders.
"You are taking out so much from the game just to make it little entertainment for the people around," Rohit told the 'Club Prairie Podcast', hosted by former Australia stumper Adam Gilchrist and England ex-captain Michael Vaughan.
"Guys like Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube are not getting to bowl, which for us is not a good thing," he said referring to the all-rounders, who are in contention for places in the India squad for the T20 World Cup in June.
While IPL fans are delighted with the boundary deluge, Chennai Super Kings batting coach Michael Hussey sympathises with the bowlers.
"It's hard for bowlers, especially if conditions are good for batting..." the former Australia player said.
"It must be a great spectacle for the crowd to keep seeing these scores growing all the time and it probably puts a bigger emphasis on execution with the ball."