The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly considering revising the two-wicket and impact player rules.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India is yet to decide whether it will continue with the two-bouncer and impact player rules in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) season.
The BCCI introduced the two-bouncer rule in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) last year, which was later adopted by the IPL.
However, the BCCI is yet to announce the playing conditions for the upcoming domestic T20 tournament due to ongoing deliberations on whether to continue with these rules.
The two-bouncer rule allows for a second bouncer in an over. This rule has been well received in Indian cricket, especially during the IPL.
However, the board is currently reviewing this rule, and the decision of this review will determine whether it will continue in the upcoming SMAT and IPL 2025.
BCCI is yet to reveal the playing conditions for SMAT 2025
On August 5, the board released documents related to guidelines and playing conditions for various domestic cricket events for the 2024-25 season. However, information on playing conditions for the men’s T20 was not included. The SMAT competition is scheduled to begin in November.
The BCCI stated, “In relation to the 2024-25 domestic season, we are sharing the following documents for your kind perusal. 1. Guidelines for Host Associations and Participating Teams; 2. Playing Conditions; Men’s Multi-Day Tournament; Men’s One-Day Tournament; Women’s Multi-Day Tournament; Women’s One-Day Tournament; Women’s T20; Women’s U-15” with a note that read; “Men’s T20 playing conditions will be shared shortly.”
As reported by Cricbuzz, the BCCI is yet to decide whether it will retain the two-bouncer rule and the impact player rule for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and IPL 2025. No final decision has been taken on these key issues and discussions are still ongoing.
“We understand that the Impact Player and two-wicketkeeper rules are the key points and no decision has been taken,” an official representing a state unit told Cricbuzz.
The report further added that the main issue is the impact player rule, which was introduced by the BCCI in IPL 2023.
This rule has generated considerable debate within the cricket fraternity. India ODI and T20I captain Rohit Sharma and star batsman Virat Kohli have both expressed concerns over it.
Speaking at a Lucknow Super Giants event in Kolkata, Zaheer Khan expressed his strong support for the impact player rule. Khan claimed that the rule has provided valuable opportunities for Indian players who have not played in the international tournament.
“There has been a debate around the impact substitution rule. I will say publicly that I am all for it. It has given opportunities to a lot of Indian talents who have not yet played. It is something that will be seen in the grand auction when teams are considering them,” Khan said.
BCCI Secretary Jay Shah recently said that a decision on the Impact Player rule will be taken and communicated soon. The decision will be crucial in finalising team strategies for the upcoming IPL mega auction, which is expected to take place later this year.
Also Read: Neither RCB nor LSG: Rohit Sharma’s next IPL destination sensationally predicted by Harbhajan Singh
