Rule change in IPL 2023 to allow captains to choose their playing XIs after the toss- Report

The captains will put 13 names on the team sheet, choosing the best 11 after the toss happens.

The Indian Premier League (IPL 2023) season will be full of new changes as the BCCI has already announced that the new impact player ruling will be introduced in the IPL 16 season and now taking inspiration from SA20, the IPL 2023 will also see captains picking their playing XIs after the toss happens.

Captains in IPL 2023 will walk in with two different team sheets before handing in their final XI after the toss. The change, the IPL said in an internal note listing the various changes to playing conditions, would allow franchisees to pick their best XIs based on whether they end up batting or bowling, the appropriate impact player included.

"Currently the captains have to exchange the teams before the toss. This has been changed to exchange of teams immediately post the toss, to enable teams to choose the best XI depending on whether they are batting or bowling first. It will also assist the teams to plan for the impact player,” the note said as per ESPNCricinfo.

This rule was first implemented by the SA20 which allowed teams to announce their XI after the toss, by letting them put 13 names on the team sheet before the toss and then announcing the final XI after the toss happened.

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The adjustment, according to former South Africa captain and SA20 tournament director Graeme Smith, was made to "lessen the importance of the toss" and create an equal playing field based on the circumstances.

The notion behind IPL implementing this rule is to negate the effect of dew, which has traditionally had a big impact at some venues in India, with teams bowling second adversely impacted.

This new ruling will still make the toss relevant, but will possibly end the "win toss, win match" in certain conditions.

ESPNCricinfo shared an example in which if a team that wanted to bat and then defend a total on a slow track in turning conditions is forced to bowl first, it can play an extra spinner in the starting XI, and then replace a specialist bowler with a batter in the second innings to help with the run-chase.

Apart from this, there were a few more rule tweaks in the IPL 2023. One was over rate penalty of only four fielders outside the 30-yard circle for every over not completed in the allocated time.

Any unfair movement of the wicketkeeper and/or the fielder will result in a dead ball and 5 penalty runs.

(ESPNCricinfo report)