IPL 2024 – All-rounder’s role is in danger with Impact Player rule: Axar Patel

Delhi Capitals left-arm spinner and a very good batter, Axar Patel believes the ‘Impact Player’ rule puts the all-rounder’s role in jeopardy. He is the latest cricket player to criticise the controversial IPL innovation.

Promoted to the Number 3 position, Axar scored a counter-attacking 43 ball 66 to help Delhi Capitals overcome Gujarat Titans in their IPL encounter here on Wednesday, moving the team from 44/3 to 224/4 with skipper Rishabh Pant at the help.

Later, he claimed one wicket as DC won by 4 runs after mounting a strong defence of their total.

Sharing his thoughts on the Impact Player rule, Axar said, “As an all-rounder, I feel that an all-rounder’s role is in danger with the Impact Player rule. Every team is looking to play either a pure batter or a pure bowler as the Impact Player, and the all-rounders are not being used.”

“With the Impact Player, every team goes into the match thinking they have 6 batters or bowlers, depending on if they are batting or bowling. This also created a lot of confusion sometimes”, Axar told ‘JioCinema’.

The rule has also been criticised by the likes of Indian captain Rohit Sharma and other players.

Introduced in 2023, the ‘Impact Player’ rule allows teams to substitute players during innings, sparking debate and scrutiny in the current season.

Confessed all-rounder Axar had previously stated that the regulation has diminished the worth of an all-rounder player.

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With the rapid 113-run partnership between Axar and Pant, DC amassed a score that enabled them to win for the 4th time in this season.

“I didn’t know beforehand that I would bat at Number 3. When our batting came, they told me that they were thinking I should go at Number 3 because three spinners were playing. First, they asked Rishabh and then we discussed, and I said that I’ll go.

“Rishabh also wanted to go, but then I told him that they’ll use spinners later as well, and he should go at No. 4 because he can handle the middle-overs,” Axar said.

On his bowling, Axar said, “I am not doing anything new. I am just adding variations to the pace. I wasn’t confident about bowling my slow ball earlier, but I have found that confidence regardless of the batter being right or left-handed.

“The pace variations are making a big difference now. With the high-scoring games we’re seeing, it’s important to have the right attitude.”