IPL 2023: Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting raises concerns about IPL's 'Impact Player' rule

Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting on Friday spoke against the 2023 Indian Premier League's new rule of 'Impact Player'. The legendary Australian cricketer said that the new rule will downsize the role of all-rounders and 'bits-and-pieces' players.  

"It also depends on whether you bat or bowl first and the situation in every game. At the toss, whether you bowl first, you will sub in a batter and if you bat first, you will get rid of a batter and get in a bowler, or if you lose a batter early, you will get in a batter on top of it. It almost negates the role of all-rounders, you don't need them as you either name a batting or bowling heavy team, and then take one in, another one out," said Ponting.

"Unless they are absolute world-class and are getting picked primarily as a batsman or bowler, and not as a bits-and-pieces player, then I don't see many teams this year using the guy that might bat at seven and maybe bowl an over or two as you don't need those guys anymore now," he added.

As per the Impact Player rule, an Impact Player is a substitute who can come to bat and bowl at any time in the match.

A skipper can use his Impact Player at the start of an innings, when a batsman retires, when a wicket falls, or at the end of an over. He can also be used as a bowler during any part of an innings.  

The impact player should be among the five substitute players whose names the captain will give to the match referee after the toss is over. Only one substitute can be used during the match. However, it is not mandatory to use the Impact Player.   

Both teams are permitted to use one impact player per match, a move which is not mandatory. It is left up to the teams whether they want to use the impact player in a match or not.

"It's actually quite confusing, to be honest. To just work through the whole range of different ways that we can use some of these players as far as the impact rule is concerned, we've got a bit of work to do in the next couple of days.

"Even with the impact player rule that`s coming into the IPL this year, there`s lots of ways that you can think about using different players and wicket keepers and things," said Ponting during an event organised by the Delhi Capitals to announce their long-term partnership multinational logistics company DP World, here on Friday.

(With inputs from IANS)