Death Of The Art Called Bowling: How Impact Player Rule Changed IPL Gameplay

Nicholas Pooran and Abhishek Sharma for IPL 2025 [Source: AP Photos]

The Indian Premier League (IPL) witnessed a significant rule change in 2023 with the introduction of the "Impact Player" rule. This innovation allows teams to substitute one player from their starting XI with another player during a match. The substitute can bat, bowl, and field, effectively creating a 12-player team. Two full IPL seasons later, how has this tactical innovation changed the game? Our analysis of comprehensive ball-by-ball data from 2008-2025 reveals dramatic shifts in scoring patterns and game dynamics.

The Surge in Scoring Rates

The most immediate and visible impact of the rule has been on run-scoring. Overall run rates have surged by 13.1%, from 7.86 runs per over in the pre-Impact Player era (2008-2022) to 8.89 runs per over post-implementation (2023-2025). This increase translates to approximately 20 additional runs per innings, fundamentally altering what constitutes a competitive total.

Perhaps most tellingly, high-scoring innings (180+ runs) have more than doubled, occurring in 47.2% of innings compared to just 21.4% before the rule change. This shift has redefined the "par score" benchmark that teams target during their innings.

The Six-Hitting Revolution

While boundary-hitting has increased across the board, the most dramatic change has been in six-hitting, which has surged by a remarkable 46% since the Impact Player rule took effect.

This six-hitting explosion indicates batsmen are now emboldened to take greater risks, knowing their teams have additional batting depth to fall back on. Simultaneously, dot balls have decreased by 9.2%, showing that teams are more consistently able to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Phase-by-Phase Transformation

The Impact Player rule has affected all phases of the game, but with interesting variations:

The most revealing statistic might be the 27.6% increase in balls per wicket during death overs, indicating teams are now preserving wickets much more effectively in the final phase. This supports the theory that the Impact Player rule provides teams with significantly more batting depth, allowing them to maintain attacking intent without the traditional risk of a collapse.

Strategic Implications

The Impact Player rule has fundamentally altered team composition strategies. Teams now have the flexibility to field an extra specialist based on match situations—either a batter to boost the run rate or a bowler to apply pressure in the second innings. This tactical dimension adds a chess-like element to the T20 format, with captains making pivotal decisions on when and whom to substitute.

For bowlers, the rule change presents a significant challenge, with statistics showing they now face more aggressive batting throughout the innings. The traditional middle-overs respite has largely disappeared, with boundary hitting in that phase increasing by 26.5%.

The Impact Player rule has unquestionably revolutionized IPL cricket, creating a more explosive, high-scoring spectacle. As teams continue to refine their strategies around this innovation, we may still be witnessing just the beginning of its transformative impact on the game.

---

ALSO READ

Priyansh Arya: What Would Be His Market Value In A Football-Style Transfer System?

---