Legendary South African cricketer AB de Villiers has said whether the 'Impact Player' rule should be introduced in the SA20 league. AB de Villiers also said that he has never been a big fan of the 'Impact Player' rule in the Indian Premier League (IPL), adding that he finds the rule confusing.
The IPL's controversial impact player rule has been extended until 2027. Many believe the rule benefits the batsmen while diminishing the role of the batsmen. Players love it Rohit Sharma and cricket legend Jonty Rhodes also expressed concern, fearing the rule could harm the balance of the game.
From the outside, he looks exciting – AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers said he felt the Impact Player rule was confusing, adding that it put little pressure on the police and their role in TEAMS. De Villiers stated that the rule may look interesting on paper, but it does not add value to the game.
“I've never been a big fan to be honest and I talked about it in the IPL last season. I feel it's a bit confusing, it also puts a bit of pressure on the police officers and their role in the teams,” said de Villiers.
“From the outside it looks exciting, but actually when the game is on, I've never found it to be … a good thing to have in cricket. So, I mean, you can try it. And SA20, they have always been open to new ideas and new rules, which I think is good,” he was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
I'm a fan of it and I believe in it because… – AB de Villiers
However, AB de Villiers feels that the Impact Player rule reduces the impact of the throw. De Villiers said picking two different XIs for a toss-based match allows teams to make more strategic decisions.
“I like the fact that you don't have to give up, or rather, you can eliminate two teams in the toss, and the moment you win or lose the toss, you can deal a different sheet. I'm a fan of it and I believe in it because the more we draw not to play a role in cricket, the better it is for the game and I think it's a good way to counter it,” said AB de Villiers.
“If you lose the toss on a difficult track or a return track, you have the opportunity to change your team or turn in another sheet. So I'm a fan of this and there's obviously a lot of room for improvement. in terms of room for experimentation.”
Impact Player Rule introduced in IPL before 2023 season
The Impact Player rule, introduced in the IPL ahead of the 2023 season, allows a 12th player to replace any player in the starting XI during a match. Although it has been in place for two years, it has drawn mixed reactions. Ravichandran Ashwin is one of the few players who supports the continuation of the rule.
In the latest IPL 2024 season, there has been increasing criticism, with many all-rounders reducing their bowling duties due to the rule's impact on team dynamics. Batting totals and economy rates of bowlers have reached all-time highs. Teams have scored over 250 runs multiple times during the IPL season.
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