RR vs DC, IPL 2024: Confusion over Rajasthan Royals overseas player coming on as impact substitute explained

The ongoing Indian Premier League 2024 match between Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Thursday saw a break in the match proceedings when the latter’s head coach Ricky Ponting argued with the fourth umpire.

Ponting and the fourth umpire had an animated conversation about the confusion surrounding RR’s fourth overseas player entering the pitch.

Rajasthan, who had three overseas players in their starting XI — Jos Buttler, Shimron Hetmyer, and Trent Boult — brought in Rovman Powell as a substitute fielder for Shubham Dubey at the start of the second innings. Nandre Burger had previously taken the pitch as an impact substitute for Hetmyer.

Ponting argued on whether Rajasthan can field a total of five overseas players.

However, the Royals technically fielded only four overseas players at the given time since Powell was the substitute fielder and Hetmyer was not on the field.

What does the IPL 2024 Playing Conditions rule say?

RULE 1.2.5

• Each team may not name more than 4 Overseas players (as defined in the IPL Player Regulations) in its starting eleven for any match.

RULE 1.2.6

• A team may not have more than 4 Overseas players on the field of play at any time during any Match. Thus, if the team names the maximum 4 Overseas players in its starting XI, an Overseas player may only take the field as a substitute fielder if the player that he is replacing is an Overseas player. If the team names less than 4 Overseas players in its starting XI, Overseas players may only enter the field of play as substitute fielders to the extent that by doing so, they do not take the total number of Overseas players representing that team on the field to more than 4.