The IPL 2024 will allow bowlers to utilize two bouncers every over to promote a more equitable struggle between bat and ball. This alteration in playing conditions was tested during the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023-24 in India.
The introduction of the new rule could have an impact on the teams going into the IPL auction attitude as they would attempt to sign some of the top pacers from the auction. Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Geral Coetzee, Josh Hazlewood, and Dilshan Madushanka are already at the top of teams’ desire lists. The regulatory change may increase competition for them even more in the auction.
Speaking on Espncricinfo, Veteran Indian pacer Jaydev Unadkat is excited about the introduction of a new rule that could give bowlers an advantage over batters in T20 Cricket, which usually favours batters in Indian conditions, and believes that having two bouncers in an over would help bowlers gain an advantage over top quality batters.
“I do feel two bouncers an over is very much useful, and I feel it’s one of those things which gives the bowler an added advantage over batsmen, Because, for example, if I bowl a slower bouncer… the batsman in the previous case is sure that there’s no more bouncer coming. In this case, even if you bowl one slower bouncer in the first half of the over, you can still use one more [in the over]”.
“Someone who is weak against bouncers will have to be better at it and then it will give the bowler one more weapon in their armoury. So, I feel it’s a very small change with a huge impact and as a bowler, I feel it’s very important to have that rule,” Jaydev Unadkat said.
The Impact Player rule, which was implemented for the first time in IPL 2023, will be maintained. In addition to the playing XI, a side must list four substitutes at the toss under this rule. They can choose any of the four subs to be their Impact Player.
If a team lists four foreign players in their starting lineup, the Impact Player can only be an Indian. This is to keep the number of international players every game to four per team, as has been the case since the IPL’s inception. If a team has three or fewer abroad players in its starting XI, they can bring in an overseas player as the Impact Player. However, the arriving foreign player should be one of the four substitutes named at the toss.
