The Indian Premier League introduced the impact player rule in 2023 to add flexibility. Teams can replace one player during a match, usually to strengthen either batting or bowling. On paper, it adds options. In reality, it has changed how the game is played.
T20 cricket has always been built on trade-offs. Teams picked an extra batter or an extra bowler and accepted the risk that came with it. The impact player removes much of that. Sides can now load their batting and still bring on a specialist bowler later, or chase with more freedom knowing there is cover.
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That shift is showing up in the numbers. The record for 200-plus totals in a season was 18 in 2022. In the first year of the rule, it jumped to 37. It rose to 41 in 2024 and then 52 last season. This year, more than 20 200-plus totals have already been recorded and we are still early in the competition. The average run rate has pushed beyond 9.5 an over.
Batting depth is the key change. Lower-order players are no longer there to survive, they are there to score. That gives top-order batters licence to take risks earlier because there is less downside if it does not come off. The result is more high-scoring games and more totals beyond 200, with combined totals of 400 becoming less unusual.
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From a South African perspective, it suits certain roles. Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller come in with a clear job and less to think about beyond that. They are not asked to build innings, just to finish them.
For bowlers like Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi, it is different. They are facing deeper line-ups with fewer weak points. Even if teams bring in a specialist bowler, there are more situations where that bowler is up against high-quality hitters. There are fewer overs to reset. A mistake costs more.
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Several high-profile players have raised concerns. Kieron Pollard has said he is “not a fan” of the rule. Shubman Gill has questioned its effect on the skill balance of the format, while Kyle Jamieson has argued it reduces the value of all-rounders. The rule is set to remain in place, which means the trend towards higher scores is unlikely to slow.
It has also changed team selection. All-rounders used to be central because they balanced the side. Now that balance can be managed through substitution. The game is moving towards specialists doing one job for a shorter period rather than players covering multiple roles.
There are positives. The cricket is faster, more direct and high scores are part of the appeal. But the trade-off is clear. There is less risk in how teams build their batting and more pressure on bowlers to get everything right.
Photo: REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
