Kamal Ghorui
Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill has joined the growing list of Indian players voicing concerns over the Impact Player rule in the Indian Premier League, stating that it “takes the skill out of the game.” Gill’s remarks come shortly after similar criticism from players like Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel. During the IPL captains’ meeting held in Mumbai, a majority of team leaders, including Gill, reportedly pushed for a review of the rule, which was first introduced by the BCCI in 2023 and has since been extended until at least 2027. Speaking a day after the meeting, Gill was clear in his stance against the regulation, which allows teams to introduce an extra batter or bowler at any point during a match. “Personally for me, I don’t think there should be an impact player. I think cricket in general is an 11 players’ game and on wickets where we play on the grounds that we play, adding an extra batsman is I think it takes the skill out of the game,” Gill said. He further explained that the traditional balance of the sport is being affected, especially in pressure situations where teams are expected to adapt with limited resources. “There’s a certain skill in the game that you need to have. When you have a certain amount of batters and if a couple of your batters get out, there’s an amount of skill that you need to have to still get the scoreboard moving and get your team to a good score.” Gill also argued that the rule is making matches more predictable and less competitive, particularly on batting-friendly surfaces. “With that one extra player, it’s making the game more one-dimensional and it’s taking a little bit of the skill out of the game. Chasing 180 on a challenging wicket or 160 on a challenging wicket is for me, it’s personally way more exciting than chasing 220 on a flat wicket,” he added. Despite the criticism from several players, the rule is set to remain in place for the foreseeable future, with any potential review expected only after the 2027 season. “It’s gonna be there till 2027. It’s something that we also spoke about in the captain’s meeting yesterday. I understand it makes the game a bit more entertaining, but let’s see. It’s there. It’s up to them what the BCCI is going to do, they’re gonna take their decision, but personally I don’t like it,” Gill said.
