Legendary South African cricketer AB de Villiers has opened up about whether the “Impact Player” rule should be introduced in the SA20 league. AB de Villiers also said he was never a big fan of the “Impact Player” rule in the Indian Premier League (IPL), adding that he found the rule confusing.
The IPL’s controversial impact player rule has been extended until 2027. Many believe the rule benefits batsmen while diminishing the role of all-rounders. Players like Rohit Sharma and cricket legend Jonty Rhodes also expressed their concerns, fearing the rule could harm the balance of the game.
From the outside, it looks exciting – AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers said he found the Impact Player rule confusing, adding that it put little pressure on all-rounders and their role in teams. De Villiers stated that the rule may look exciting on paper, but it does not add value to the game.
“I’ve never been a big fan, to be honest, and I spoke about it in the IPL last season. I feel it’s a bit confusing, it also puts a bit of pressure on all-rounders and their role in teams,” de Villiers said.
“From the outside it looks exciting, but actually when the game is going on, I’ve never felt it was… a good thing for cricket. Well, 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 said, as quoted 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 pitch. De Villiers said picking two different XIs for the match based on the toss allows teams to make more strategic decisions.
“I like the fact that you don’t have to evict, or rather you can evict two teams on the toss, and as soon as you win or lose the toss, you can hand in another card. I’m a fan of that and I believe in it because the more we get the toss that we don’t play a role in cricket, it’s better for the game and I feel it’s a good way to counter that,” said AB de Villiers.
“If you lose the toss on a tough wicket or a turning course, you have the opportunity to change your team or hand in a different list. So I’m a fan of that and obviously there’s a lot of room for improvement given the room for experimentation.”
The influential player rule, introduced in the IPL ahead of the 2023 season
The Impact Player rule, introduced in the IPL ahead of the 2023 season, allows the 12th player to replace any player in the starting 11 during a match. Although it has been in force for two years, it has caused mixed reactions. Ravichandran Ashwin is one of the few players who supports the continuation of the reign.
The final season of the IPL in 2024 saw mounting criticism, with many all-rounders reducing their bowling duties due to the rule’s impact on team dynamics. The strike totals and economy of the bowlers reached all-time highs. Teams have scored more than 250 points multiple times during the IPL season.
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