Shubman Gill’s blunt take on Impact Player rule sparks IPL 2026 debate

Shubman Gill is not the first captain or player to oppose the 'impact player' rule in the Indian Premier League (IPL). In the pre-match press conference, the Gujarat Titans (GT) captain spoke about the rule and how it makes the game one-dimensional. When the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the guidelines for the impact player rule in 2023, it was first implemented in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Later, it started in the IPL. Since then, several players have complained about the rule across various seasons. Now, Gill also stated that the rule is taking away 'skill out of the game', which is not a positive thing. The all-rounders have to suffer the most since the teams prefer pure batters and bowlers as per the requirements of the game. 

“Personally, for me, I don’t think there should be an impact player. I think cricket in general is an 11-player game, and on wickets where we play, on the grounds that we play, adding an extra batsman, I think it takes the skill out of the game. There’s a certain skill in the game that you need to have when you have a certain amount of batters, and if a couple of your batters get out, there’s an amount of skill that you need to have to still get the scoreboard moving and get your team to a good score. I think with that one extra player, it’s making the game more one-dimensional, and it’s taking a little bit of the skill out of the game," Shubman Gill said at the pre-match press conference.

What Shubman Gill said about the Impact Player rule

The right-hand batter revealed that the rule is going to be there till 2027, and the captains can't do anything about it. Moreover, during the captains' meeting on March 25, the players did speak to the officials about it. They are waiting for an official confirmation on whether the rule will stay or be removed from the IPL. 

“It (impact player rule) is going to be there till 2027. It’s something that we also spoke about in the captain’s meeting yesterday (on Wednesday), and hopefully, you know, I understand it makes the game a bit more entertaining, but let’s see. It’s there. It’s up to them what the BCCI is going to do; they’re going to make their decision. But personally, I don’t like it that much," he added.

What is 'Impact Player' rule?

Introduced in IPL 2023, the Impact Player rule allows teams to substitute one player from their starting XI with one of five named substitutes at any point during the match. This substitution can occur at the start of an innings, when a wicket falls, or at the end of an over, allowing the substitute to bat or bowl their full quota of overs. 

The rule makes it a 12 vs 12 game and gives the teams leverage to have a batter or bowler according to the match situation. However, it is opposed because the captains prefer batsmen and bowlers over all-rounders. Hence, this becomes a loss for them throughout the IPL. It surely gives depth to the game and increases the excitement, which is why the board is continuing the rule until 2027.