Ajinkya Rahane calls for IPL to scrap Impact Player rule

Former India cricketer Ajinkya Rahane has urged the Indian Premier League to remove its Impact Player rule, arguing that it reduces opportunities for all-rounders. His comments to Cricbuzz were reported by The Times of India on October 10.

The rule lets a team substitute a player during a match. Rahane said using that option to swap a batter for a bowler, or the reverse, makes it less necessary to involve players who contribute in both disciplines.

The former Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals captain said India needed to develop all-rounders for the national team. He also argued that bowlers should receive greater protection from a rule that gives batting sides another specialist option.

As an example, Rahane recalled unnamed teams recovering from 90/7 or 100/7 to finish with 200 runs after using an additional batter. Those examples were his account of the rule's influence, rather than a newly announced league statistic.

Rahane said most captains had opposed the rule ahead of the previous year's captains' meeting. He understood the current guidelines to run through 2027, but said he did not know whether the rule would be changed before the next major auction. His appeal does not amount to a decision by the IPL.