Exclusive | ‘Impact Player’ rule in IPL is having ‘detrimental effect’: Shane Watson

With high totals being witnessed in the ongoing IPL 2024, former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson feels one of the reasons for this trend is due to the advent of T10 cricket and batters’ approach to go hard at the bowlers from the first ball.

Already, eight 250-plus totals have been posted so far in IPL 2024 until the end of Thursday’s (May 2) 50th match in this season.

What Watson said

In an exclusive chat with The Federal, two-time IPL winner Watson explained why batters were dominating the bowlers more this season and also spoke about the ‘Impact Player’ rule.

“There are a couple of things that have contributed, one is batters have realised that they can go hard right from the first ball, and continue the same. Earlier, it was like hit a couple of boundaries and get through the next over. But now, it is nearly from ball one, we have seen that with the Sunrisers (Hyderabad). It is from ball one, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma are going hard trying to take down every single over with more than 20 runs per over,” Watson said.

“The mindset is definitely freed up which is a great thing in cricket. And, I believe T10 cricket has been the catalyst. We have seen in T10 cricket in the last few years, with a lot of players exposed to the format, that a score of 130 in 10 overs is an average sort of score. Now, that mindset has translated to T20 cricket,” he added.

Also, Watson elaborated on the effect of the ‘Impact Player’ rule on big totals. However, the Australian admitted that the new rule was not good for the game, calling it “detrimental” to the development of the players, especially all-rounders.

No fielding

“The thing which has allowed this mindset to occur is the Impact Player because it has given every team extra firepower in their batting order. It allows teams having a frontline batter at number 8. Impact Player rule is great as it frees up the batters’ minds. The more I see the Impact Player rule, I don’t like it, because, one it has taken away the skill of an all-rounder, for example we have seen that with Shivam Dube.

“Before the Impact Player rule, Shivam Dube was bowling and was helping him in his growth as an all-rounder. Even we have seen Hardik Pandya in this IPL nearly only use himself (as a bowler) when he wanted to probably get himself up and going for the T20 World Cup. I don’t like the impact sub rule now because the impact it is having on the evolution and development of all-rounders. Shivam Dube gets subbed out quite a lot. His fielding hasn’t been put under the microscope. Poor bowlers have to withstand brutal attacks from batting line-ups,” Watson said.

Further, he stated, “It has taken me a little while to really understand the impact of the impact sub. Initially, when it was announced, I did not fully understand the impact that would have on the game. The players who are subbed out are not needed to work on their fielding. And, when they are exposed (to fielding) under pressure situations, there are more chances of them making mistakes. The more we see the impact sub rule and its impact it is having, I believe it is having a detrimental effect on cricketers’ development with different skills that they need to be exposed to, instead of batting and subbed off and sitting on the bench.”