Ravi Shastri brutally slams Rohit Sharma; alleges him for manipulating thoughts

Former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri backed the Impact Player Rule amid criticism from cricketers and former players in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Ravi Shastri emphasized the need to adapt to changing times, stating that the Impact Player rule is good.

The Impact Player rule, introduced in last year's IPL, allows teams to select a 12th player from a list of five substitutes. This player can be utilized as either a bowler or a batter. Many teams capitalized on this rule effectively during the last edition of the T20 tournament.

Former Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Rohit Sharma disapproved of this rule, stating that all-rounders like Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube stopped bowling in the IPL. Rohit Sharma stated that he is not a big fan of the rule in the Indian Premier League.

Delhi Capitals (DC) players Axar Patel and Mukesh Kumar also criticized the Impact Player rule. DC head coach Ricky Ponting said that he was happy if it had the potential to enhance the tournament. Ponting described it as a "nightmare" from a coaching perspective.

The Impact Player Rule Is Good - Ravi Shastri

Ravi Shastri stated that the Impact Player rule has led to several exciting finishes. The former all-rounder highlighted its positive impact on the tournament. Shastri emphasized the need to adapt to changing times.

"The Impact Player [rule] is good. You have to evolve with the times. You know, it happens in other sports as well. It's got tighter finishes. You have to evolve with the times and I think it's a good rule. You saw the number of tight finishes we had in last year's IPL. So, you know, it has made a big difference," Shastri told R Ashwin on his YouTube channel.

People Will Try And Justify Why That's Not Right - Ravi Shastri

Ravi Shastri acknowledged that new rules often face initial skepticism. However, the 61-year-old stated that as teams achieve high scores and players excel under the rule, perceptions will shift positively over time.

"You know when any new rule comes in, there will be…people will try and justify why that's not right. But in time when you see the scores - 200 and 190 - and then like you mentioned individuals grabbing that opportunity and making the most of it, people will start re-looking at how they think about it," Shastri added.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah recently commented on the Impact Player rule, stating it is not permanent. Shah mentioned that a decision regarding its continuation in future IPL editions will be made after consulting with stakeholders after the 2024 T20 World Cup.

"We will consult with the players, franchises, broadcasters [and take a call]. This is not permanent [but] I am not saying that it will go. [We'll see] if it's making the game more competitive or not. Even then, if a player feels that this is not right, then we will talk to them. But no one has told us anything yet, so it will be decided after the World Cup."

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