In IPL 2024 alone, there were eight scores of 250-plus—out of just ten in the tournament’s history—thanks to the Impact Player rule. Will IPL 2025 see even more?
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 kicks off with a high-voltage clash between defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the iconic Eden Gardens on Saturday. While batters are expected to dominate the tournament, bowlers with effective variations could emerge as match-winners.
A major talking point this season will once again be the Impact Player rule, which allows teams to substitute any player to maximise their chances of victory.
Although this rule has been in place since IPL 2023, it was most exploited in the 2024 edition. Teams batting first often included an extra specialist batter in the XI to bolster their lineup, allowing openers to adopt an aggressive approach from the outset. This strategy helped teams set strong foundations for big totals. Later, the Impact Player rule enabled teams to bring in a specialist bowler as a substitute for a batter to best defend their score—working vice versa when bowling first.
Rise of 250-plus scores
This freedom to go all guns blazing, with the cushion of an extra batter due to the Impact Player rule, led to tall scores becoming a regular occurrence. In the 2024 season alone, there were eight scores of 250-plus—out of a total of ten such scores in IPL history.
The other two 250-plus scores were registered in 2023 and 2013. Notably, since the introduction of the Impact Player rule in IPL 2023, teams have posted nine scores of 250-plus, compared to just one such score in all previous seasons combined.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have recorded three scores of 250-plus—all coming in the 2024 season. KKR have achieved this feat twice, while RCB have also done it twice. Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, and Lucknow Super Giants have each registered one such score.
Read More: IPL 2024: The big debate around Impact Player rule
SRH’s explosive powerplay strategy: Maximizing the Impact Player rule
A lot of credit goes to SRH for making the maximum use of the Impact Player rule, as they gave their openers, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, the licence to go on a leather hunt in the 2024 IPL and exploit the powerplay to the fullest. In two of their three 250-plus scores, when Head and Abhishek batted together, they posted an opening partnership of 108 runs against RCB in just 8 overs at a run rate of 13.5 and 131 runs in 6.2 overs against DC at a staggering run rate of 21.13. This high-scoring spree in the powerplay gave SRH the momentum to control the game in the remaining overs.
SRH’s batting depth and tactical substitutions
The safety net of an extra batter allowed SRH’s batting unit to throw caution to the wind and play aggressively. Even in the event of a collapse, they had reliable middle-order batters like Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, and Nitish Kumar Reddy to either post a strong total or successfully chase down a target. Adding further depth to their lineup, all-rounder Washington Sundar batted as low as No. 8 in one of these high-scoring games.
Later, SRH utilised the Impact Player rule to substitute Travis Head for a specialist bowler to defend their total. The bowlers who replaced Head in these three matches collectively took three wickets in seven overs, providing the team with an additional bowling option to strengthen their attack.
This refreshing approach by SRH to maximise the use of the Impact Player rule played a key role in their journey to the final. They weren’t the only ones—eventual champions Kolkata Knight Riders adopted a similar strategy, deploying Sunil Narine and Phil Salt as explosive openers to provide blistering starts and seize early momentum.
With its proven success, it is highly likely that teams in the IPL 2025 will follow the same approach to make the most of the Impact Player rule.
Read More: IPL 2024: Impact Player rule poses threat to careers of all-rounders
Balancing the contest: New measures to aid bowlers in IPL 2025
Undoubtedly, the batting unit benefits from having an extra batter in the XI, allowing them to go all out when batting first. Similarly, when chasing, teams can substitute a bowler for a batter to strengthen their finishing power.
However, the BCCI’s directive allowing the use of saliva on the ball could aid bowlers in generating reverse swing, potentially shifting the momentum in their favour. Additionally, teams bowling second will have the option to replace the ball if excessive dew becomes a factor. These measures could help restore balance between bat and ball in the 2025 IPL.
Debate over Impact Player rule: Boost or setback for all-rounders?
The Impact Player rule has faced criticism for limiting the role of all-rounders, as teams can easily replace a batter with a bowler or vice versa. For instance, Chennai Super Kings used all-rounder Shivam Dube purely as a specialist batter, substituting him with a specialist bowler under this rule. As a result, Dube barely had the opportunity to showcase his medium-pace bowling last season. Rohit Sharma has expressed his disapproval of the rule, stating, “I generally feel that it is going to hold back (the development of all-rounders) because, eventually, cricket is played by 11 players, not 12.”
Despite the criticism, the BCCI is set to continue the use of the Impact Player rule, as it enhances entertainment by encouraging high-scoring matches and aggressive chases, keeping fans engaged. Additionally, the rule allows teams to effectively utilise 12 players, giving a youngster the opportunity to showcase his skills as a substitute and make an impact on the big stage—an opportunity he might not have had if limited to the traditional XI.
Read More: IPL 2024 has witnessed a deluge of 200+ totals: Is the ‘Impact Player’ rule adding more excitement?
