South Africa all-rounder Wiaan Mulder has questioned the Impact Player rule, saying it makes life difficult for genuine all-rounders in modern cricket. The 28-year-old believes the rule reduces opportunities for players who can contribute with both bat and ball, especially during a busy international schedule.
Mulder is currently representing Texas Super Kings in the 2026 Major League Cricket season. He has scored 160 runs in eight matches at an average of 40.00 and a strike rate of 145.45. With the ball, he has taken 4 wickets at an economy rate of 10.84. TSK is at the bottom of the table with just 3 wins from 8 matches.
Removes My Biggest Strengths - Wiaan Mulder on the Impact Player Rule
Wiaan Mulder believes the Impact Player rule has reduced the value of genuine all-rounders in T20 cricket. He said the rule takes away his biggest strength of contributing with both bat and ball.
Speaking to the Times of India, Wiaan Mulder said:
"I think there's a reason you're asking me because it pretty much takes me out of the game. The Impact Player rule removes my biggest strengths, which are batting and bowling and bringing balance to the team.
I think it's fantastic for the fans because teams can score 200 at almost any stage. Batting line-ups go all the way down and you see players like Venkatesh Iyer coming in at No. 9 and scoring a fifty off 25 balls to win games.
So it's definitely good for spectators and probably for the commercial side of the game. But as a cricketer and someone who loves the game, I enjoy the tactical battle, the cat-and-mouse aspect of cricket. The Impact Player rule takes some of that away and makes it more of a one-way contest."
Personally, I Would Prefer If It Wasn't There - Wiaan Mulder
Wiaan Mulder admitted that the rule has worked well in the IPL and has encouraged more aggressive batting. He also praised bowlers for adapting to the change by improving their accuracy, but added that he would still prefer the game without the Impact Player rule.
He added: "Has it worked in the IPL? Absolutely. It's given batters tremendous freedom and forced bowlers to be incredibly accurate. Personally, though, I would prefer if it wasn't there."
High-scoring matches Continue to Fuel the Debate
The Impact Player rule, introduced ahead of the 2023 IPL season, has changed the way teams build their playing XIs. Franchises can use an extra specialist batter before replacing him with a specialist bowler, reducing the need for traditional all-rounders to balance the side.
The change has also led to a sharp rise in high-scoring matches. Before the rule was introduced, the IPL usually produced fewer than 10 totals of 200 or more in a season. That number rose to 52 in 2025 and reached 65 during the 2026 edition, with more than 45 percent of all innings crossing the 200-run mark.
The rule continues to divide opinion within the cricket community. Several IPL captains have reportedly supported a review of the regulation, but the BCCI and broadcasters continue to back it because of the entertainment and higher scoring it brings to the tournament.
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