Impact Player rule: Multiple scenarios, an Indian reality

The IPL’s biggest innovation may well be the result of India’s inability to produce elite all-rounders

- Ben Jones

Indian Premier League (IPL) teams will be allowed to name five substitutes, one of whom can come on as an Impact Player at any stage of the match, provided the over has been completed or a wicket has just fallen. The Impact Player must be Indian, so you are not allowed to swap one overseas player with another. However, if only three overseas players are in the initial XI, a fourth can come on, in place of an Indian.

Key ways for a team to use the rule are:

Bring in an extra batter after a collapse, extending the order 

Bringing in a bowler for an unused batter 

Adding a spinner on an unexpectedly helpful surface, or vice versa 

Bring in a death bowler to replace a Powerplay bowler who has completed their spell

The main use, the simple way to exploit the rule (particularly for teams who are broadly happy with their starting XIs), would be to introduce a specialist batter for a specialist bowler, or vice versa, at an opportune moment. Delhi Capitals could use the rule to engineer some balance.

Starting with either Manish Pandey or Chetan Sakariya, depending on batting or bowling first, then subbing in the other, would seem a sensible way of managing two one-dimensional cricketers.