The Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin backs the impact player rule which is a prevalent topic in the Indian Premier League stating that it provides ‘more value for strategy.’
In IPL 2024, the impact player rule was one of the most debatable topics regarding the implementation of the rule. Since the implementation of the rule in 2023, franchises have enjoyed a lengthy batting unit, which has led to some high-run-scoring fest.
India skipper Rohit Sharma for example, previously stated that the restriction has hampered the development of all-rounders in the country.
Ashwin gave his take on the rule and said on Kris Srikkanth’s YouTube show Cheeky Chekka. “Why I think the Impact Player rule is not so bad is because it gives a little more value for strategy,” said Ashwin. “The other side of that argument is it doesn’t encourage allrounders. But no one is stopping them.
“In this generation, they don’t do it [batters bowling and vice-versa]. It’s not like they’re discouraged because of the Impact Player rule. Look at Venkatesh Iyer, he’s currently rocking for Lancashire. There’s an opportunity for innovation and it makes the game fairer.”
Ashwin brought in an example from Qualifier 02 of IPL 2024 to underline his stance. “When Dew has the potential to make games one-sided, teams bowling second get an extra option as a counter. If you’re batting second, you can tactically make a substitution by offloading the extra bowler for a batter.
“Games are tighter, an extra player is getting to play. Barring Kolkata or Mumbai, where scores skyrocketed, they haven’t been a drastic change elsewhere. Like at Punjab Kings’ home venue [Mullanpur], they were all 160-170 games.”
“If a franchise has released a player because they don’t see him in their top four or five, then what gives them the right to jump in during an auction”
Ashwin made a debate that several players had moved up the ranks, even into the national team as a result of the rule.
He further cited that many players have broken into the Indian setup because of this rule. He gave the examples of Shivam Dube, and Dhruv Jurel stating that, if it was not for the impact player rule, they wouldn’t have had the opportunity to showcase their skills.
“Shahbaz Ahmed, Shivam Dube most importantly, Dhruv Jurel… If not for the Impact Player rule, he may have never gotten the chance. So the emergence of a lot of players has happened. I’m not saying that’s the only way for players to emerge, but it’s not so bad.”
With the mega auction coming up, the Right to Match hasn’t been used at IPL auctions since 2018, but the IPL is still debating on the retention rules for the auction and the reintroducing RTM is one of the things on the table.
“If a franchise has released a player because they don’t see him in their top four or five, then what gives them the right to jump in during an auction,” Ashwin argued.
“You give the option to the player asking if he wants to be right to match. There should be a contract binding the two parties, which says he can be RTMed only if the price is X amount and leave that pre-determined amount to be decided by the player.”
However, there is one rule in the IPL, that Ashwin wants to be scrapped, and that is the Right to Match. He added that if a team releases a player because they don’t want him in the top 5 retentions, then the franchise will jump in for him during the auction while using the RTM card.
