The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to discontinue the controversial Impact Player rule for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy. The Impact Player concept was introduced in the SMAT a few years ago and was later extended to the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The BCCI’s decision to scrap the Impact Player comes after it was retained in the IPL until 2027. Despite record-breaking totals in the IPL this year, the Impact Player experiment faced criticism from many, including India captain Rohit Sharma. Sharma argued that it hindered the development of all-rounders.
“I generally feel that it is going to hold back (development of all-rounders) because eventually cricket is played by 11 players, not 12 players. I’m not a big fan of impact player. You are taking out so much from the game just to make it little entertainment for the people around,” Sharma said.
Saurashtra head coach Niraj Odedra welcomed the BCCI’s decision, stating that it would benefit players aspiring to represent India.
Meanwhile, five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians have reappointed Mahela Jayawardene as their head coach. Jayawardene previously held the position from 2017 to 2022, during which time the team won three championships. After the 2022 IPL season, Jayawardene became the franchise’s Global Head of Cricket, overseeing the expansion of MI’s teams across various leagues.
“My journey within the MI family has always been one of evolution. In 2017, the focus was on bringing together a talented group of individuals to play the best cricket ever and we did very well,” Jayawardene said. “Now to return, at the same moment in history, where we look ahead at the future and the opportunity to further strengthen the love of MI, build on the vision of the owners, and continue to add to the history of Mumbai Indians, is an exciting challenge I am looking forward to.”
