Impact Player Rule to Stay: BCCI’s Final Decision Ahead of IPL 2025 Mega-Auction

The Impact Player rule has been a hot topic in the Indian cricket community since its introduction in the IPL 2023 season. This rule allows teams to bring in a 12th player at any point during a game to replace a player from the XI after the toss. The main aim was to provide more opportunities for Indian players, especially uncapped ones, who often struggle to secure a regular spot in the playing XI. However, the rule has not effectively served this purpose.

Earlier this year, Indian captain Rohit Sharma expressed his concerns about the Impact Player rule, stating it hindered player development. He mentioned on the Club Prairie Podcast that cricket is traditionally played by 11 players, not 12, and highlighted that several Indian all-rounders, such as Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube, were negatively affected by the rule.

Rohit was not alone in his criticism. Players like Mohammed Siraj, Axar Patel, and Mukesh Kumar also voiced their disapproval, calling for the rule to be scrapped.

Impact Player Rule to Stay

Despite the controversy, the Impact Player rule was a significant topic during a recent meeting between the BCCI and IPL franchise owners. Many called for the rule to be abolished. However, RevSportz reported that the BCCI has decided to keep the rule for now.

One of the main reasons behind this decision could be the broadcasters’ stance on the matter. While players, coaches, and some franchise owners have opposed the rule, the broadcasters, who have invested more than INR 45,000 crore into the league, reportedly wanted the rule to continue.

The BCCI’s decision means that the Impact Player rule will remain in place for the upcoming IPL 2025 season, despite the mixed reactions from the cricket community.