Bowlers Permitted To Bowl Two Bouncers Per Over In IPL 2024

image-lqbs4kauMS Dhoni evades a bouncer in IPL 2023 [X.com]

With all eyeballs currently on the soon-to-begin Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 mini-auction today, the tournament's governing body late Monday evening announced a massive change in playing conditions, which could make the contest between bat and ball more intriguing in the upcoming season.

In IPL 2024, bowlers will be permitted to bowl as many as two bouncers in an over, making it slightly tougher for batters. A trial of two bouncers per over was tested by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023-24, which is India's premier domestic T20 competition. 

Out of favour India pacer Jaydev Unadkat, who will go up for grabs in the auction today with a base price of INR 50 lakhs stated that the new rule is a much welcome change, while speaking to ESPNcricinfo. 

Here's what Unadkat said

"I do feel two bouncers an over is very much useful, and I feel it's one of those things which gives the bowler an added advantage over batsmen. Because, for example, if I bowl a slower bouncer… the batsman in the previous case is sure that there's no more bouncer coming. In this case, even if you bowl one slower bouncer in the first half of the over, you can still use one more [in the over]. Someone who is weak against bouncers will have to be better at it and then it will give the bowler one more weapon in their armoury. So, I feel it's a very small change with a huge impact and as a bowler I feel it's very important to have that rule."

Interestingly, last year, IPL introduced the new 'Impact Player' rule, which found mixed reactions from former players, and fans.