What is the Impact Player Rule in IPL 2023?

Not known for tinkering with the rules of the sport unnecessarily, Indian Premier League has made an exception by introducing the “Impact Player Rule” ahead of the 16th season of the tournament beginning in an hour or so.

A major rule among all the new IPL 2023 rules, Impact Player Rule isn’t entirely unnecessary. The development will negate the disadvantage caused to teams due to the outcome of the toss and dew factor.

The latter, in particular, has converted numerous matches into one-sided contests in the past. With the advent of this rule, no team will be able to gain any sort of an advantage due to the outcome of the toss or a natural and uncontrollable phenomenon such as dew.

What is the Impact Player Rule in IPL 2023?

In simple words, Impact Player Rule in IPL 2023 will be a modified version of “Super Sub Rule” which was implemented in ODIs around 2005. A primary change to the abolished rule is that IPL 2023 teams will be able to pick a substitute player out of five names mentioned by a captain at the toss unlike naming one designated player during a brief Super Sub era.

With a provision to call upon an Impact Player anytime during the course of a match, he will be able to perform multiple roles. Having said that, a basic cricketing law of a maximum of 11 players batting and bowling will have to be followed in spite of the possibility of 12 players representing a team in one match.

Furthermore, teams will have to ensure that their Impact Player can only be an Indian cricketer. The only option to field an overseas Impact Player can be availed if a team names only three overseas players in its starting Playing XI. Therefore, a maximum of four overseas players can be part of a Playing XI.

Named X-Factor Player in the Big Bash League, a similar rule was scrapped by CA (Cricket Australia) ahead of the recently concluded 12th season of the tournament. The move had come less than a couple of weeks after BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) introduced Impact Player for Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

With an innovative rule set to embark on its IPL journey, it will be interesting to see how IPL teams make use of it in this season. While Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting believes that the rule will nullify the role of all-rounders, Mumbai Indians head coach Mark Boucher wants to use it as a “bonus” whilst not compromising with a Playing XI just because a new role has been brought into play.

New Rules in IPL 2023

It is noteworthy that Impact Player is not the only new rule in IPL 2023. Much like the inaugural season of SA20 earlier this year, IPL 2023 will also allow captains to Finalize their Playing XIs after the toss.

While a total of 13 players used to be named in the SA20 2023 team sheet before confirming the Playing XI, IPL captains will bring with them two sets of Playing XIs to confirm one after the outcome of the toss.

Taking Slow Over Rates seriously for a change, IPL will rightly punish faltering teams with a fielder less outside the 30-yard circle for every over not completed in the allocated time. It was last year that ICC (International Cricket Council) had set an 85-minute deadline for teams to begin the last over of a T20I innings. The same was also implemented in ODIs and the BBL in 2022.

The last new rule of IPL 2023 revolves around Unfair Movements by Fielders. Such an error committed either by a wicket-keeper or any specialist fielder will hand the batting team five runs and a dead ball.