Archive · 5 Sep 2026
Suresh Raina Renews Criticism of IPL Impact Player Rule
The IPL allows teams to bring in one Impact Player during a match.
Teams choose five possible substitutes after the toss.
Suresh Raina does not like this rule.
He says some fit players bat and then leave the game.
He believes this gives batting teams too many choices.
Raina also says bowlers now face more pressure because scores are much higher.
Scores of 250 or more are being made and chased more often.
He says the rule makes the game less balanced and gives bowlers fewer chances to take wickets.
Former India batter and four-time IPL winner Suresh Raina criticized the Impact Player rule.
Raina said fit players can bat and then be replaced, limiting development and weakening all-rounders.
He argued the rule has inflated scores and left bowlers with fewer opportunities to take wickets.
Introduced in 2023, the rule lets teams name five options after the toss and use one substitute during a match.
IPL batting strike rates have exceeded 150 across four seasons, while totals above 250 have become increasingly common.
- Who
- Former India batter and four-time IPL winner Suresh Raina, along with other players affected by the Impact Player rule.
- What
- Raina criticized the IPL Impact Player substitution rule and said it favors batters over bowlers.
- When
- The rule was introduced in 2023; the criticism was published on September 5, 2026.
- Where
- The Indian Premier League.
- Why
- Raina says extra batting options inflate scores, increase pressure on bowlers, and allow fit players to bat before being substituted.
Critics of the Rule
Entertainment and Batting Case
Balance between batters and bowlers
Critics of the Rule
Suresh Raina says the rule has tilted the IPL too far toward batters, increased scoring, and left bowlers with fewer wicket-taking opportunities.
Entertainment and Batting Case
The article cites the entertainment factor as a reason for the rule, though it does not identify a specific supporter defending it.
Player development
Critics of the Rule
Raina argues that fit players can bat and then sit out, reducing opportunities to improve and potentially harming the development of all-rounders.
Entertainment and Batting Case
The rule gives teams additional tactical flexibility by allowing one selected substitute to enter during the match.
Scoring standards
Critics of the Rule
Raina said scores once considered competitive, such as 170, are no longer necessarily safe, with 250 and even 300 being reached or chased.
Entertainment and Batting Case
The higher-scoring matches are presented as part of the IPL’s entertainment appeal, although the article does not provide a detailed defense of the scoring trend.
- Rule introduced
- The IPL Impact Player rule began in 2023.
- Substitution process
- Teams submit five possible substitutes after the toss and can use one during the match.
- Raina’s position
- Raina said he is against the Impact Player rule.
- Scoring trend
- Collective IPL batting strike rates have exceeded 150 across four seasons.
- High scores
- Multiple totals above 250 have been recorded over the last three seasons.
- Notable chase
- Punjab Kings chased more than 260 against Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2024 IPL season.
- Other criticism
- The article said Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma also expressed displeasure about the rule during the 2024 season.
