Rahul Dravid, the legendary Indian cricketer and former head coach of the national team, shared his thoughts on the Impact Player rule in the IPL. During his time as the coach from 2021 to 2024, he openly admitted that he wasn’t really a fan of this new rule. While he recognized that it brought some good changes to the game, he believed it posed challenges, especially when it came to developing all-rounders.
Dravid took over as head coach after Ravi Shastri and had his eyes set on guiding the team through to the 2024 T20 World Cup, which they eventually won. The Impact Player rule was brought into play with the IPL in 2023, just before the ODI World Cup that same year. One key concern for Dravid was how this rule affected potential all-rounders like Shivam Dube and Venkatesh Iyer. Since their teams could now bring in a specialist player at any moment, these all-rounders didn’t get as many chances to bowl or bat.
In an interview with Sportstar, Dravid opened up about how the Impact Player rule changes the game. He said, I’ll be honest, I wasn’t particularly fond of the Impact Player rule when I was coaching the Indian team. It definitely makes the matches more interesting since it adds a level of complexity. Games can really stay exciting until the end. But from my viewpoint as a national coach, it had its challenges.
He explained that part of a coach’s role is to help young all-rounders shine. In the traditional 11 vs. 11 format, these players would have had more chances to showcase their skills in various scenarios. With the Impact Player rule, this balance has shifted a bit.
Another noticeable effect Dravid pointed out is how scoring rates have gone up. More teams are crossing that 200-run mark, and some of the highest scores in IPL history have been recorded lately. This is mainly because teams now have an additional specialist batter on the field. And with teams able to keep scoring even after losing several wickets, it makes every match exciting—it’s never over until it’s over.
Dravid commented, With an extra specialist batter, no team can be written off early. Even if you lose a few wickets, the batting lineup remains deep. Of course, having an all-rounder still gives teams some balance, but they can now cope without one if they’re not a good fit for the squad.
He also noted that the Impact Player rule has added new layers to how teams strategize for selection and game planning. While he expressed his mixed feelings about the rule, he acknowledged its role in keeping the games competitive. He wrapped up by saying that like any rule, the Impact Player has its ups and downs, just like the auction process and other regulations in the league.
