We are just days away from the biggest cricketing spectacle and there are some significant changes brought in this year to make the game more exciting.

Updated: March 27, 2023 18:00 PM IST

By Raghunath Nair

2 team sheets, Impact Player – Lets solve the mystery of the New Rules for IPL 2023

How Impact Player Rule in IPL 2023 Works, Who Can be Impact Player, How Are Toss Rules Changed and More.                          

The one change to be noticed before the game begins is the team sheets.  Captains will prepare 2 sets of teams along with 2 sets of Impact player list. The captain will decide to use which list after he knows what the team has to do after the toss.

Imagine the captain taking 2 teams out on paper and just imagine how much time they will spend. Thinking, what if I bat first, what if I bowl first?

It will be an interesting sight when the captain wins the toss and chooses to bat, he pulls up a bat first playing 11 list and also a list of 4 impact substitutes.

Out of the 4 substitutes on the list, one of those can be used as your impact player. This has somehow negated the undue advantage the winning captain gets. Here, the captain, winning the toss or not, can still choose their Impact substitute based on if they are batting or bowling.

For example, the captain can choose to bowl an extra bowler as an impact player if the captain feels they need to beef-up the bowling unit.

It allows the best team to play against the best team all the time and then, with the impact substitutes, you are actually having in effect teams of 12.

The best batsmen are always facing the best bowlers and now the teams automatically get 5 to 6 bowling options. With the Impact player on board, a team having 4 bowlers and 7 batsmen can still have the option of a 5th bowler by pulling out a batsman and having a bowling impact substitute.

Impact Substitute to be an Indian Player except in one case

Only an Indian player can become the impact substitute. it means more opportunity for the domestic players. This will also keep a check that only 4 overseas player play in the team at all times who are in the starting eleven.

An exception to this is when only 3 overseas players are considered in the initial eleven and a 4th overseas player enters as an impact substitute. This scenario looks highly unlikely.

Amit Mishra and Piyush Chawla could become excellent Impact substitutes who are known for their bowling at this stage of their career and can leave a good impact on their team. They can either be replaced or brought in to cover another player in the playing eleven.

5 Runs Penalty for fielding deceptions

Fielders moving when the ball is delivered will attract 5 penalty runs on the bowling side. This was always against the rules of the game, but violators were never punished till now. A fielder has only to walk straight while the ball is being delivered to not compromise on his fielding position.  For example, a short mid-off fielder cannot run sideways and take a short cover position when the bowler is running to bowl.  This would be an automatic a 5 runs penalty.

In the past, when the wicket keeper anticipating a paddle shot from the batsman suddenly moves towards leg slip, because he knows what the bowlers are going to bowl, it can be considered an act of deception and can attract a 5 runs penalty.

Slow over rate – It’s a fast pace game

This rule was introduced few months back and has been used in the World Cup recently.  The captain has to ensure that his team completes the entire 20 overs within the stipulated time given.  It was found that fines don’t deter teams and so the new rule says that for all the additional extra time required to bowl after the allocated overs, only 4 fielders can field outside the 30-yard circle instead of 5. This gives the batting team a huge advantage and a deserved the right punishment for the bowling team.

Super sports 360 gives a big thumbs up to these changes brought in by the IPL governing team. This game requires constant innovation. While some will fail, some will survive the test of time, which will keep the game alive.

Also, Read: IPL 2023 Begins – New Rules | Groups | Match Schedule | Likely Playing 11 | Dream11 Fantasy Top 5 Picks