Indian and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fast bowler Mohammed Siraj voiced his opposition to the Impact Player rule in IPL 2024, suggesting it favors batsmen and should be abolished.
Leading up to the RCB match with KKR at Eden Gardens, Siraj pointed out the impact of flat pitches which makes batsmen better than bowlers. In this regard, he noted that batting tactics have changed; hitters trying to reap maximum rewards out of every ball that comes their way, that is, taking their chances to go for runs and not waiting for legit pitches for passes.
In this IPL season, the team run rate has soared to 9.48 in 37 matches, marking the highest for a single edition. Sunrisers Hyderabad notably set a new IPL record by scoring 287 runs against RCB, surpassing their own record of 277 against Mumbai Indians in the same season. The team achieved scores exceeding 250 three times, including posting 266 against Delhi Capitals.
Siraj figured out this recurring tendency of the aforesaid incidents in IPL matches. While the players and broadcasters hesitated to declare it as an emerging trend, Siraj openly talked about it as the evolving phenomenon of IPL matches.
Earlier, Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma also criticized the Impact Sub-rule, introduced in the IPL last season after a trial in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Rohit expressed his reservations about the rule’s impact on all-rounders, stating cricket is played by 11 players, not 12. He highlighted the rule’s limitation on players like Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar from showcasing their bowling skills.
While on the ‘Club Prairie Fire’ podcast, Rohit’s concerns that players harbor about the rule and its consequences also point to an old-game cultural phenomenon. He emphasized the substantial weight of prudent planning, keeping in mind the sporting elements rather than aiming at something that only entertains.
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