IPL 2023: Everything to know about 'Impact' player rule to be implemented for first time

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 will see several new rules introduced, in a bid to make the tournament more exciting for cricket fans. One of the new rules to be implemented from the upcoming season onwards is the ‘Impact Player’ rule. Under the rule, teams will be able to bring in a substitute into the playing XI, who can bat or bowl. 

Explaining the ruled in a release in December, IPL said, “This will add a new tactical, strategic dimension to the game. A number of team sports allow teams to make tactical substitutes i.e., football, rugby, basketball, baseball. The substitute is allowed to perform or participate like any other regular player." With the 2023 season knocking at the doors, here’s everything you need to know about the ‘Impact’ player rule.

IPL 2023: How does the Impact Player rule work?

Under the rule, the teams will have the option to list four substitutes at the time of the coin toss, alongside the original playing XI. The teams will then be able to use any one of the four substitutes as their Impact Player. The player who gets replaced by the Impact Player will take no further part in the match, not even as a substitute fielder.

IPL 2023: When can the Impact Player come into the game?

A captain will have a few options in terms of when the Impact Player can be brought in. The captain can bring in the player before the start of the innings, at the end of an over and at a fall of a wicket, or when a batsman decides to retire. However, if the bowling side decides to bring in an Impact Player during an over, at the fall of a wicket or if a batter retires, the player will be barred from bowling the remaining deliveries of that over. 

Time for a New season 😃

Time for a New rule 😎

How big an "impact" will the substitute player have this edition of the #TATAIPL 🤔 pic.twitter.com/19mNntUcUW

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL)

IPL 2023: How does the Impact Player rule work with overseas players?

Teams will not be allowed to bring an overseas player as their Impact Player if four overseas players have been already named in the playing XI. In this case, only an Indian can come in as the Impact Player. IPL continues to limit the number of overseas players to four per team, a practice that has been in place since the inception of the marquee league.

However, if a team names three or fewer overseas players in their XI, they can bring in a foreign national as the Impact Player. This will happen only if the player has been named in the list of four substitutes. This rule doesn’t impact the no. of players to bat in a match, as after the substitute will replace a batsman who has been dismissed or retired, one of the players yet to come in will not bat.

IPL 2023: How can the bowling side use the Impact Player rule?

The Impact Player coming in for the bowling team will be allowed to bowl his four overs, irrespective of the no. of overs bowled by the player getting replaced. This suggests that the captain can make a new ball bowler bowl four innings in a trot and replace him later. The Impact Player coming can still bowl four overs. However, as mentioned earlier, the substitute will have to wait for the end of the over to start bowling.

IPL 2023: How does the Impact Player rule work during a delayed start?

Explaining the rule in their release, IPL mentioned that delayed starts won’t have an effect on the rule. “A delayed start reduces the total amount of overs available to both sides to less than 20 overs per innings prior to the commencement of the match… Impact Player can be utilized at any time during the match,” added IPL.