Axar Patel Raises Questions Over ‘Impact Player’ Rule

New Delhi: An all-rounder himself, Axar Patel on Monday became the latest Indian cricketer to criticize the ‘Impact Player’ rule in the IPL. He stated bluntly, “I don’t like it,” and emphasized that it hinders the development of players like him. Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya have also spoken out against the ‘Impact Player’ rule. This rule allows teams to substitute any player from the playing XI with one of the five listed substitutes at any point during a match. It was introduced in 2023 and is set to remain in effect until at least 2027.
In 2024, Rohit had remarked that he did not like this strategic rule because it impedes the development of all-rounders in Indian cricket. Similarly, the following season, Hardik noted that selecting an all-rounder for the team has become extremely difficult unless they perform equally well with both bat and ball.
Responding to a query from PTI seeking his opinion on the rule, the vice-captain of the Indian T20 team weighed in on the subject ahead of his second season as the captain of the Delhi Capitals. Axar said, “I don’t like this rule because I am an all-rounder myself (laughs). Previously, we used to select an all-rounder for this role (batting and bowling). Now, team management picks a specialist batsman or bowler; they ask, ‘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.”
In the previous IPL season, Axar bowled just 204 deliveries, whereas in the season prior to that, he had bowled 264 deliveries. He stated that this occurred not because of the ‘Impact Player’ rule, but due to a finger injury that had troubled him significantly prior to the IPL. “I didn’t bowl much. This wasn’t because of the ‘Impact Player’ rule. After the Champions Trophy, I suffered a cut on my spinning finger. Subsequently, it worsened due to the seam of the ball. Eventually, it developed into a deep wound; I was unable to apply proper pressure and rotation to the ball. That is why I was bowling only when absolutely necessary and was taking care of my finger.” “The situation improved after seven matches, and I began bowling regularly,” said Axar, who has been entrusted with the responsibility of guiding the Delhi Capitals to their maiden IPL title.