'Not a fan' - Pollard joins chorus against IPL's Impact Player rule

The growing opposition to the Impact Player rule in the IPL has found a fresh voice. Kieron Pollard, the batting coach of Mumbai Indians, minced no words. "If you ask me personally whether I like it or not, I can say straight away: I'm not a fan," Pollard said.

The former MI all-rounder, who has been associated with the IPL since the 2010 season in various capacities, felt the Impact Player option leaves the skills of allrounders under-utilised, which in turn might have an impact on the international teams.

"In terms of getting rid of it, that's beyond my pay grade, per se. But as I said, it has definitely pushed up scores in T20 cricket. Has it had the same impact in international cricket? I haven't really looked into that in detail, because it's a different dynamic - if you lose a couple of wickets in a league game, you still have the cushion to consolidate.

"So the powers that be need to assess whether it's actually good for the game, good for television, or simply beneficial for individuals. With the Impact Player rule, there are certain skill sets that may not be fully utilised in international cricket. Hopefully, they will review whether it's truly beneficial. If not - and if the rules remain - you just have to get on with it."

Players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Shubman Gill and Axar Patel have criticised the rule at different points. "I don't like this rule, honestly, because I am an all-rounder," Axar said before the start of the season. "Earlier, you would pick an allrounder for batting and bowling. Because of this rule, the team management goes for a particular batsman or bowler, thinking 'Why do we need an allrounder?'"

Gill was as critical. "Personally for me, I don't think there should be an Impact Player. Cricket in general is a 11-player game... adding an extra batsman, I think it takes the skill out of the game. With that one extra player, it is making the game more one dimensional. Chasing 180 or 160 on a challenging wicket is for me more exciting than chasing 220 on a flat track," the Gujarat Titans captain remarked recently.

The Impact Player rule has been in place since 2023. The Board of Control for Cricket in India and Indian Premier League authorities have made it clear to team managements during a recent meeting with captains and managers that the rule will continue for at least another season.