Ajinkya Rahane Urges IPL To Scrap Impact Player Rule, Says It Harms All-Rounder Development

Former India cricketer and IPL captain Ajinkya Rahane has joined growing criticism of the impact player rule in the Indian Premier League, urging the league to eliminate it. Rahane, who has captained Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals, told Cricbuzz that the rule serves no purpose and should be removed.

Rahane revealed that most IPL captains had expressed opposition to the rule before last year's captains' meeting. The rule currently remains in effect through 2027, with uncertainty over whether it will be scrapped this year or after the upcoming mega auction.

The impact player rule allows teams to substitute batters with bowlers or vice versa to optimise match outcomes. However, Rahane and other cricketers argue this practice is undermining the development of all-rounders in Indian cricket. The absence of quality fast-bowling all-rounders has left India searching for replacements, with emerging players like Shivam Dube and Nitish Reddy yet to match Hardik Pandya's capabilities.