The majority of Indian Premier League captains have expressed their reservations over the Impact Player rule, which was introduced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India in 2023. The rule was extended for usage till 2027. However, many captains have advocated against it.
The topic was discussed at length during the IPL Captains Meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday. "Majority of the captains gave their inputs on the Impact Player rule and expressed their reservations, even though the BCCI has extended the rule till 2027. They were told it can only be reviewed after the 2027 edition and not before that," an IPL source told PTI.
Axar Patel latest to voice against it
Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals skipper Axar Patel was the latest to raise their voice against the contentious rule, joining the likes of Rohit Sharma. "I don't like this rule as I am an all-rounder myself. Earlier, we used to pick all-rounders for this role (batting and bowling). Now the team management goes with a particular batter or bowler, they say why do we need an all-rounder? "Being an all-rounder myself I don't like it but at the same time rules are rules. We have to follow them. But personally, I don't like it," said Axar on Monday in his opening media interaction ahead of IPL 2026.
Captains propose ball change after 10 overs of first innings
The BCCI had introduced a rule last season allowing teams to change the ball after the 10th over of the second innings to counter the impact of dew.
On Wednesday, one captain suggested extending this provision to the first innings as well, proposing a ball change after the 10th over. However, the idea did not receive much support.
Ball change after 10 overs of the first innings was proposed, but it did not gain much traction. Since heavy dew typically affects the second innings, the current rule will remain unchanged,” a source said.
Clarity sought on training guidelines
All IPL captains—comprising Indian players, with Ishan Kishan leading SRH in place of regular skipper Pat Cummins—also sought clarification from IPL officials regarding the training guidelines for the 2026 season.
According to the guidelines shared with franchises, no practice sessions will be permitted on match days. Additionally, if one team finishes practice early, the other team cannot use the same wickets for training. “The captains wanted more clarity on the training guidelines, and that was provided,” the source added.
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