Cricket is a game of 11 players, not 12…, Shubman Gill flouted 'Impact Player' rule

Ahmedabad. Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill has expressed concern about the 'Impact Player' rule in IPL. He said that this reduces the importance of skill and challenge in the game. Many Indian players have already objected to this rule, like Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya and recently Delhi Capitals captain Akshar Patel. In the IPL captains' meeting held in Mumbai on Wednesday, most of the captains including Gill demanded BCCI to review this rule.

This rule came into effect in 2023 and has been extended until at least 2027. Shubhman Gill said, 'According to me there should not be an 'impact player'. Cricket is generally a game of 11 players. Adding an extra batsman or bowler takes away the real challenge and the importance of the player's skill.

He said, 'There is a special skill in the game. If some of your key batsmen get out early, the team needs strategy and skill to score well. But with this one extra player, the game has become one-sided and the challenge has also reduced. For me, chasing 180 or 160 runs on a challenging pitch is more exciting than chasing 220 runs on an easy pitch.

BCCI will be able to take the final decision on this rule only after 2027. Gill said, 'This rule will remain in force till 2027. We had discussed this in the captains' meeting. I understand that it makes the game a little more fun, but I don't like it. The decision will be taken by BCCI.