One of the biggest discussions of late in this ongoing season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is the ‘Impact Player Rule.’ It has found itself under the microscope as India captain Rohit Sharma expressed his frustrations on the rule. Aaron Finch and S Badrinath discussed Shivam Dube’s role after the Impact Player Rule.
According to the rule, the teams can use one more active player during the game. The substitute can replace any player, who has been introduced at a time before the end of the 14th over of either innings during the game. Like any regular player, the substitute is allowed to participate in the encounter.
However, teams have begun to use it to avoid loopholes in their playing eleven. It has made the job easy for the teams to make tactical decisions. Shivam Dube, the all-rounder who is smashing the bowlers all around the ground for 263 runs in IPL 2024 at a strike rate of 163.51, doesn’t display his bowling skills. This has somehow made him a vital member of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) but puts his place in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 side in serious doubt.
“I’m not a big fan, it’s going to hold back the all-rounders.” Rohit discussed this on the ‘Club Prairie Fire Podcast’. “Cricket is played by 11, not 12.”
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“If Shivam Dube can bowl well..”- Badrinath shares his thoughts
Former India player Subramaniam Badrinath shows a green signal towards the impact player rule.
“I see the Impact Player as a very positive thing purely from a perspective that instead of 11 players getting an opportunity, another player is getting an opportunity to showcase his skills that’s what is all about.” Subramaniam Badrinath replied to the query of ‘Hindustan Times’ on Star Sports Press Room. “It brings in a more tactical perspective to the game.”
The two-time IPL champion with the CSK advised that the yellow franchise is using Shivam Dube in the best possible way to get their desired result.
“If Shivam Dube can bowl well, he can still be on the field but there is some other better bowler or a better fielder who gets an opportunity that’s the reason probably Shivam Dube is not there, he has been given a very specific role-a middle over specialist, in the middle-over he comes in when there are slow bowlers are on, spinners are bowling, that’s where he is the both effective but with ball in hand and on the field there are some other players who are much more effective and they are getting an opportunity to be on the field at that point.” Badrinath noted.
‘I totally disagree’- Aaron Finch expressed a different opinion
The 2021 T20 World Cup-winning captain, Aaron Finch expressed a different thought process from Badrinath. In his view, it has become a little easy for the captain to take tactics out of the game.
“I totally disagree. I think that for a captain, it’s made their job so easy. So, when you’re picking a team generally unless you have got a gun all-rounder, you will either have a hole in your batting because you’ll have someone batting at seven that maybe isn’t up to that role.” Finch said.
There might be number eight then he has to fight up or you pick four bowlers and try and use them as your all-rounders to get your fifth bowler in. So then tactically on the field, you have to be so good at managing when you’re when you’re able to use them, you’ve got to find small chinks in the opposition’s armor to be able to get through your 20 overs easily.” Finch narrated.
The former Australia skipper made a strong point that it will hamper the young India all-rounders for the future. It will be interesting to see whether Shivam Dube gets a chance in the 2024 T20 World Cup squad or gets omitted because of not bowling regularly.
