R Ashwin in favor of not abolishing the impact player rule, lists the benefits
R Ashwin believes that the impact player rule is a strategic rule in the IPL and if it is abolished, an interest will also end.
Indian off-spinner R Ashwin believes that the impact player rule is a strategic rule in the IPL and that removing it will result in a loss of interest. The impact player rule has been heavily criticized by IPL 2024 players and coaches, including India's Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma. However, Ashwin has a different viewpoint.
Speaking on Chris Srikkanth's YouTube show 'Cheeky Cheeka', Ashwin said, "The impact player rule is not that bad, as it puts more emphasis on elements like strategy in cricket. Although one side of it is that this rule does not promote all-rounders, no one is stopping anyone from doing so. This generation is such that no batsman wants to bowl and vice versa. It is not that the all-rounders have been affected by the impact player rule. Just look at Venkatesh Iyer, he is doing wonders for Lancashire in county cricket. The impact player rule gives an opportunity for a new experiment in cricket.”
Citing the example of this year's Qualifier-2, Ashwin said, “Sunrisers Hyderabad brought Shahbaz Ahmed as an impact player and he proved to be a match-winner by taking three wickets. In the IPL, when Dew plays an effective role and the match becomes almost one-sided, a rule like an impact player gives another bowling option and balance to the game. When you play an extra player, the match becomes closer.”
The off-spinner gave an example and said that it is because of this rule that players like Shahbaz Ahmed, Shivam Dubey, and Dhruv Jurel have emerged and made it to the Indian team. He said that if this rule was not there, a player like Jurel would never have got a chance. It is because of this rule that new players are getting a place.
Ashwin also said that there should be no 'Right to Match' option during this year's big auction. He said, "If a franchise feels that a player is not in their top four or five to be retained, then during the auction they also do not have the right to suddenly come in between after the player has been bought. This option should be given to the players whether they want the Right to Match to be used on them or not."
