Toby Marshall
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to kick off on March 31, and cricket fans are buzzing with excitement on social media. Recently, new rules changes were announced for the IPL 2023 stating that team captains will announce their playing XI only after the toss, instead of exchanging the final XI before the toss. This move allows for the introduction of the “Impact Player”, where each captain nominates 11 players and a maximum of 5 substitute fielders in writing to the IPL match referee after the toss.
The “Impact Player” rule was first tried by the Board of Control for Cricket in India during its domestic tournaments before being introduced in the 2023 IPL season. Additionally, teams will be allowed to challenge wide and no-ball calls made by umpires under the Decision Review System (DRS), similar to the Women’s Premier League. Umpires will clench their fists and cross their hands over their heads to indicate the arrival of the impact player.
According to recent news, it has been announced that during toss, each captain will carry two team sheets, which has already been tested during the SA20 tournament. The team sheets will consist of 11 players and up to 5 substitute fielders.
In order to enable teams to fully utilise Impact Players and to account for any possible concussion replacements or fielding substitutes, the BCCI has also increased the playing squad on match days to 16.
Following the Women’s Premier League, which introduced a new rule allowing players to challenge on-field calls for wide and no-ball using DRS in a T20 tournament for the first time, reports suggest that the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will also see this rule implemented.
According to ESPNCricinfo, teams will be able to use their stipulated reviews to challenge umpire decisions for dismissals, wides and no-balls in both the WPL and IPL. The WPL has already seen this rule utilised, with Mumbai Indians captain Harmanpreet Kaur challenging a wide call by the umpire and Delhi Capitals’ Jemimah Rodrigues challenging a delivery that seemed waist-high.
Teams are required to identify their playing XI and five substitutes at the time of the toss. Out of the named substitutes, only one player can be used as an Impact Player per match. However, it is not mandatory and teams have the option to use it or not.
The player who has been replaced will not be allowed to take any further part in the game, not even as a fielding substitute. If an injured player is replaced by an Impact Player while fielding mid-over, they can no longer take part in the match.
Another one of the rules changes for IPL 2023 is that an overseas player can be used as an Impact Player only if the team nominates less than four overseas players in the starting XI. Only the captain can notify the on-field umpire or the fourth umpire about the introduction of the Impact Player.
After the Impact Player was added, a player could bat and bowl for the entire allotment of 4 overs in a single innings. The upcoming IPL season is anticipated to become more exciting and tactical as a result of these new regulations.
The preparations for the much-awaited 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League have kickstarted with a bang. Just like the previous year, the tournament will feature a total of ten teams including Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings, and Kolkata Knight Riders.
In the 65th match of IPL 2023, Royal Challengers Bangalore secured an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad. RCB successfully chased down a target of 187 runs, reaching the target in 19.2 overs. Leading the charge was Virat Kohli, who played a scintillating innings of 100 runs off 63 balls.
