Karthik wants Impact Player retained through the current IPL cycle

Royal Challengers Bengaluru batting coach and mentor Dinesh Karthik believes the Impact Player rule should remain for IPL 2027, even though he thinks its initial benefits are fading.

Speaking to Cricbuzz, the former India player said franchises had built their squads around having an additional participant. They planned for 12 players, and a sudden switch to 11 could change the competitive balance in favour of teams with differently structured squads.

Karthik favours considering removal after the current three-year cycle ends in 2027. In his view, new rules should be introduced before a cycle begins and withdrawn after it finishes. Changing conditions midway would undermine the assumptions used to select teams.

He also questioned the rule’s sporting effects. Initially, it helped produce high scores and competitive attempts to chase large totals. In the most recent season, however, he felt there had been fewer close games and that the innovation had lost some of its appeal.

Karthik believes the extra specialist also reduces opportunities for India to develop all-rounders who contribute with both bat and ball. His position combines that criticism with a call for predictable conditions for squads already assembled. It is not an announcement of an IPL decision.