GT Outclass CSK With 'Impact Player' Masterstroke

image-lfxnk3hlTushar Deshpande was the first ever impact player in the history of IPL (Source: AP Newsroom)

The first match (GT vs CSK)  of the sixteenth season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2023) between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) showed us the day. The spectators will hope that the  tournament is going to be exciting and entralling just like the opener. 

The tournament has always been excting and presented the viewers with dramatic cricket action. To add to the spice, the tournament has introduced then new 'Impact Player Rule'. To know more about the intrcacies of the rule, read - Explaining New 'Impact Player' Rule in IPL 2023.



Now, let us take a look at how GT and CSK used their impact players. 

Tushar Deshpande, CSK's Impact Player

Chennai Super Kings introduced Tushar Deshpande as their impact player during the second innings of the match. This gave MSD an extra bowling option to tinker with. But how did he perform?

In a chase of 179 runs, Deshpande gave the impetus to the Titans to cruise to the target. In 3.2 overs Deshpande conceded 51 runs while picking up a single wicket. 

Analysis: CSK read the situation wrong and introduced as a pacer as their impact player. Prashant Solanki would have been a better optio as he would have given them the dynamism and flexibility in the spin department. 

B Sai Sudharsan, GT's Impact Player

While CSK failed to make good use of the Impact player rule. Gujarat Titans were on spot with their implementation. 

They introduced Sai Sudharsan (22 off 17) a left-handed attacking batter in place of the injured Kane Williamson after the fall of their first wicket for 37 runs in the fifth over of the chase. How did it turn out to be advantageous for them?

  1. Kane Williamson's absence prior to the rule would have made them chase the target with a batter less.
  2. If Kane Williamson was fit and batted in the match, it would have given the two left-arm spinners of Chennai Super Kings a chance to bring their team back into the match. 
  3. Williamson might have looked to settle himself down and then go for the kill when he got an idea of the conditions. But Sai Sudharsan took on the bowling from the beginning and denied CSK of the opportunity to make a comeback into the match.

Conclusion

The imapct player turned out to be a curse for CSK becasue of the management misinterpreating the match stage. But on the other hand, GT made the correct use of the rule and outplayed the four time champions with a tactical master stroke. This new rule will surely make things intersting for the spectators throughout the tournament.