IPL 2024: Please remove the Impact Player rule, says Mohammed Siraj

India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pacer Mohammed Siraj on Sunday said the Impact Player rule tilted the game in batters’ favour and should be scrapped.

“Please remove this Impact Sub thing (laughs), the wickets are already flat and there’s nothing for the bowlers in it, previously, it used to be slow at times, but the batters now come out swinging at absolutely everything,” Siraj said ahead of RCB’s match against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

The team run rate in the IPL this year, in 37 matches so far, has been 9.48, the highest for a single edition.

Sunrisers Hyderabad scored the highest IPL total (287) against RCB in IPL 2024, breaking its own record (277) set against Mumbai Indians in the same season. The side crossed 250 for a third time, when it posted 266 against Delhi Capitals last week.

“It was a long time (ago) that a team made 250-plus score, but it has become such a common feature now,” Siraj added.

Earlier India captain Rohit Sharma had also expressed his displeasure with the rule, which was introduced in IPL last season after being trialled in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

“I am not a big fan of the Impact Sub rule. It is going to hold all rounders back, eventually cricket is played by 11 players, not 12 players. You are taking out so much from game to make it entertaining for people around,” Rohit had said on the ‘Club Prairie Fire’ podcast.

“If you look just from the cricketing aspect of it, I feel guys like Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar aren’t getting to bowl, which for us is not a good thing,” Rohit added.