Following Rohit Sharma’s recent remarks regarding the impact player rule in the IPL (Indian Premier League) 2024, star Indian batter Virat Kohli recently came forward in agreement with his countryman. Kohli pleaded with the Board of Control for Cricket in India, or BCCI, to reconsider the regulation.
The 35-year-old stated that the impact player rule has ruined the game’s equilibrium and emphasised the fact that not all bowlers are Rashid Khan or Jasprit Bumrah. Kohli expressed his opinion that bowlers shouldn’t have to worry about being hit for a boundary on every delivery, even if he acknowledged that entertainment value in cricket is crucial.
In a recent statement, Rohit Sharma criticised the impact player rule, emphasising how it impedes the growth of all-rounders who have potential for international involvement.
“I concur with Rohit. Aspects of the game, such as entertainment, are present, but there is an imbalance; bowlers feel as though they should be doing more. Bowlers who believe they will give up four or a six on every ball are not anything I have ever seen. We are playing excellent cricket, and in my perspective, it shouldn’t be so dominant. Equal weight distribution between the bat and the ball has a certain elegance. Not every team has the mystique surrounding Rashid Khan or Jasprit Bumrah,” Kohli said to JioCinema.
At No. 8, I am aware that a batter is also waiting. Virat Kohli
Additionally, Kohli discussed how he feels extremely at ease batting at strike rates exceeding 200 because he is aware that the Impact Player rule also applies to a hitter on the side in the lower order.
There’s a reason I play with a strike rate of 200 or higher during powerplays, I promise you—I play with one extra batter. There is also a batsman waiting at No. 8, as far as I know. I believe it has upset the equilibrium, and I’m not the only one who feels this way,” the New Delhi native remarked.