How Much ‘Impact’ the New Rules Will Have in IPL 2023?
The Indian Premier League (IPL) — the Festival of Cricket in India — is set to begin today. The IPL 2022 champion Gujarat Titans and 4-time IPL champion Chennai Super Kings will face each other in the opener at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
A total of 70 league matches will be played across 12 venues for the next two months. And this year, the home-away format makes a comeback after 3 seasons.
So every team will play a total of 14 games, including 7 home and 7 away games. With that, the BCCI has introduced some exciting new IPL rules for this season.
Let’s take a look at them.
Impact player
This is an interesting rule that was introduced earlier in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
It’s quite similar to the Big Bash League’s X-Factor rule. But the Impact Player rule is a more improvised version of the X-Factor rule.
In the BBL, teams can use the X-Factor rule after the 10th over of the innings, whereas in the IPL 2023, the teams can use the Impact Player rule at any of the following stages:
- Before the start of the innings
- After an over finishes
- In between an over
- At the fall of a wicket or if a batter retires
Basically, the Impact Player rule can be used at any time during the match. But there are some restrictions.
Only an Indian player can be used as an Impact player to replace another Indian player. If the team already has 4 overseas players in the starting XI, then an overseas player can’t replace an Indian player.
However, teams can start with 3 overseas players in the XI and then bring in the 4th overseas player as an Impact Player.
Teams need to list 11 players and 5 substitute players after the toss. And one of the five substitute players can be used as an Impact Player.
Now, coming to the toss.
Finalising playing XI after the toss
In the previous IPL seasons, the captains would exchange the team sheets before the toss. But this won’t happen anymore, as the BCCI has introduced a new rule.
The captains will carry two team sheets for the toss, and they will finalise their playing XI according to the toss outcome.
With this rule, the IPL becomes the second league after the SA20 to introduce this change.
This will reduce the impact of the toss and help teams cope better with the dew, which plays a significant role at all 12 venues.
DRS for wide balls and no-balls
Now the teams can review the wides and no-balls called by the on-field umpires, just like players review the dismissal calls.
Also, if the umpires didn’t call a wide or no-ball, then the team can review it.
I still remember, in the 2019 IPL season, when a fuming MS Dhoni walked out of the dugout and came straight to the field to argue over a no-ball call with the umpires.
A hell of a drama happened as the on-field umpire first signalled a no-ball, and then the decision was reversed after consulting with the square-leg umpire.
CSK batters Jadeja and Santner got into an argument with the on-field umpire. Then Dhoni walked into the field and questioned the umpire’s decision.
One of the rare moments when you see Dhoni losing his cool.
Later, replays showed the ball passing above waist height, but because there was no provision to review the no-ball, the decision was not overturned.
A similar incident happened in IPL 2022 during the Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals match over a waist-high ball.
When the on-field umpires didn’t call it no-ball, Rishabh Pant — the DC captain — gestured the batters to walk off the field in protest of the decision. But nothing like that happened, as the support staff calmed him down.
A lot of memes were made on Pant’s reaction. 😂
Now, this new rule change will certainly help avoid such situations.
And this rule was successfully implemented during the Women’s Premier League (WPL), where teams used it to review wide balls and no-balls.
Also read: WPL 2023 Review
Four players outside the circle
If the bowling team fails to complete their overs within the allocated time, then they will be forced to field 4 players outside the 30-yard circle instead of 5 players.
See, the bowling teams are supposed to finish the innings in 90 minutes. If they fail to do so, then they will be penalised.
To avoid such a situation, the captain will try to finish the innings within the stipulated time.
Unfair Movement
If a fielder or wicketkeeper is involved in any unfair movement while the bowler is taking his run-up to bowl, it could now result in a dead ball. And the umpire will award 5 penalty runs to the batting side.
These are the major rules introduced in the IPL 2023.
Now it’s time to tune into your TV or mobile device and watch the IPL. 🥳
