Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has called for the removal of the Impact Player rule in the Indian Premier League (IPL), arguing that it has further tilted the balance in favour of batters in T20 cricket.
Speaking at the ESPNcricinfo Awards, he also suggested structural tweaks to powerplays and bowling quotas to restore a more even contest between bat and ball.
“Impact Player rule should go away”
Tendulkar strongly criticised the substitution rule introduced in 2023, saying it reduces the strategic balance of the format.
"I feel there are a few things which, on a personal note that I can say, I think the impact player needs to go away,"
He explained that allowing teams to effectively add an extra batter makes already tough conditions for bowlers even more challenging.
"I feel when in a T20 format you just have to play 20 overs, and then you are adding one more batter to that line-up. Where bowlers are already being challenged, I find that imbalance
Concern over batting dominance in IPL conditions
With IPL pitches increasingly producing high-scoring matches, Tendulkar believes the rule has intensified the existing imbalance between bat and ball.
The Impact Player system, which allows teams to replace a member of the playing XI with one of five substitutes during a match, has also been criticised by several modern players.
India captain Shubman Gill and former skipper Rohit Sharma have also questioned the rule, suggesting it reduces the importance of all-rounders and weakens the game’s traditional skill balance.
Proposed change: Flexible bowling powerplay
Tendulkar also proposed a redesign of the powerplay system, suggesting that bowling sides should get more tactical control.
He recommended splitting the six-over powerplay into two phases, with one part controlled by the batting side and the other by the fielding captain.
"(In) the powerplay of six overs with field restrictions, only two fielders are allowed outside the ring. Let the first four overs be batters' powerplay with the same field restrictions.
"Post that, the remaining two powerplay overs should be determined by the fielding captain as and when he wants to take. Those two consecutive overs will also get one fielder extra outside the ring at any stage of the game,"
"So you (the fielding side) are able to control the game better."
Suggestion: Increase bowler workload to 5 overs
Another key recommendation from Tendulkar was to allow a single bowler to deliver up to five overs in an innings instead of the current limit of four.
"One bowler should be allowed to bowl five overs. Because invariably the best bowler of the side is going to bowl that fifth over.
"Wouldn't you want to see that best bowler bowl more? The top batters are batting sometimes even 20 overs. Why shouldn't the best bowler be bowling five overs?"
[With inputs from agencies]
