Kieron Pollard (Screengrab/X)
The controversy over the Impact Player Rule in the Indian Premier League (IPL) continues to gain momentum, with Kieron Pollard adding his voice to the growing criticism. Pollard, who is currently the batting coach of the Mumbai Indians, has made his position clear, admitting, “If you ask me personally whether I like it or not, I can immediately say: I’m not a fan.
” The former MI all-rounder, who has been associated with the IPL since the 2010 season in various capacities, felt that the Impact Player option leaves the skills of all players underutilised, which could in turn have an impact on international teams. He pointed out that the rule allows teams to replace players based on match situations, which often leads to marginalizing the role of all players. According to Pollard, this shift could have a ripple effect on international cricket, where such flexibility does not exist.“In terms of getting rid of it, that’s beyond my pay grade in itself. But as I said, it has certainly lifted results in T20 cricket. Has it had the same effect in international cricket? I haven’t looked into that in detail, because it’s a different dynamic – if you lose a few wickets in a league match, you still have a cushion to bolster, so the powers that be need to evaluate whether it’s actually good for the game, good for TV, or simply good for individuals.”
With the Impact Player rule, there are certain skill sets that may not be fully utilized in international cricket. Hopefully they will review if it was really helpful. If not – and if the rules remain in place – just keep going,” Pollard said according to Cricbuzz.
Pollard’s concerns echo sentiments expressed by many senior cricketers. Axar Patel has openly stated that this rule undermines the importance of all players, as teams now prefer specialists instead.
Shubman Gill has also criticized this concept, arguing that it makes the game more one-dimensional and less competitive, especially in run chases.Great players like Rohit Sharma,
Virat Kohli
MS Dhoni has also expressed his reservations about the rule at different times.The Impact Player rule was introduced in 2023 and has undoubtedly contributed to higher scores and more aggressive play in the IPL. However, despite the criticism, the Board of Control for Cricket in India and IPL authorities have indicated that the rule will remain in place for at least another season, following recent discussions with team managements.