Rohit Sharma: ‘Cricket is played by 11 players, not 12’: Rohit Sharma criticizes Impact Player rule in IPL, says ‘not a big fan’ | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: India captain Rohit Sharma has voiced his disapproval of the Impact Player rule in the Indian Premier League, stating that it could hinder the development of all-rounders in Indian cricket.
Rohit expressed his concerns during an episode of the Club Prairie Podcast, co-hosted by Adam Gilchrist and Michael Vaughan.
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“I generally feel that it is going to hold back [development of allrounders] because eventually cricket is played by 11 players, not 12 players,” Rohit remarked, questioning the necessity of the Impact Player rule.
“I’m not a big fan of impact player rule. You are taking out so much from the game just to make it little entertainment for the people around.”

Rohit highlighted the impact of the rule on players like Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube, who have been limited in their opportunities to contribute both with bat and ball.
The Indian selectors face a dilemma in considering players like Dube for the upcoming T20 World Cup, given his irregular bowling performances in domestic and IPL cricket.

While Rohit acknowledged the challenges posed by the Impact Player rule, he admitted to having no solution to offer. “I don’t know what you can do about it, but I’m not a fan of it honestly speaking,” Rohit stated.
The Impact Player rule, introduced in IPL 2023, allows teams to bring in a 12th player at any point in a match to replace a player from the XI after the toss.
Despite Rohit’s criticism, the rule remains in effect in the ongoing IPL season, prompting discussions about its impact on team composition and player development.

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