GT will open its IPL 2026 season against the Punjab Kings on March 31 in New Chandigarh.
During the captains’ meeting with the BCCI on Wednesday, the majority of the IPL captains shared similar concerns and voiced their reservations about the impact player rule that has divided opinions since its introduction.
While the IPL has affirmed that the Impact Player option will be available until the 2027 season, IPL team captains have expressed skepticism, citing how it alters the game's dynamics and strategy. The Impact Player regulation has reduced the role of all-rounders, providing clubs with another option waiting in the dugout.
Shubman has expressed significant opposition to the Impact Player rule, arguing that cricket should remain an 11-player game. He said that permitting an extra batsman on IPL pitches and grounds disturbs the game's balance and reduces the significance of skill, making the format less authentic in his opinion.
“Personally, for me, I don’t think there should be an Impact Player. I think cricket in general is an 11-player game, and on wickets where we play, on the grounds that we play, adding an extra batsman is, I think, taking the skill out of the game," Shubman said in the IPL captains' press conference.
Continuing to criticize the impact player rule, Gill emphasized the value of classic cricket abilities. He emphasized that when a team has a predetermined number of batters, a certain level of skill is needed to recover if wickets fall, ensuring that the scoreboard continues to tick and the team scores a competitive total.
“There is a certain skill in the game that you need to have, you know, when you have a certain number of batters, and if a couple of your batters get out, there is a certain amount of skill that you need to have to still get the scoreboard moving and get your team to a good score," he added.
Gill further stated that the impact player rule has oversimplified the game. He said that a tricky chase of 160-170 runs is far more entertaining than chasing 220 on a flat track. He highlighted how challenges bring out true skill and strategic thinking in cricket.
“I think with that one extra player, it’s making the game more one-dimensional, and it’s taking a little bit of the skill out of the game. There is, chasing 180 on a challenging wicket or 160 on a challenging wicket is, for me, personally way more exciting than chasing 220 on a flat wicket," he said.
The 26-year-old further revealed that the captains expressed their concerns to the BCCI over the rule, but it will remain in effect until the 2027 season.
“So, I mean, it’s going to be there till 2027; it’s something that we also spoke about in the captains’ meeting yesterday, and hopefully, you know, I understand it makes the game a bit more entertaining, but let’s see, it’s there; it’s up to them what the BCCI is going to take for their decision, but personally I don’t like it that much," he concluded.
GT will open its IPL 2026 season against the Punjab Kings on March 31 in New Chandigarh.
(PTI inputs)