IPL 2023: Ricky Ponting opens up on ‘Impact Player’ rule, says ‘it almost negates the role of allrounders’

Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting has opened up on the proposed new rule of the ‘Impact Player’ as his side gets ready for the Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Delhi who are coached by the former Australia skipper will be one of the favourites to clinch the title. Ponting, in the final stage of the preparations for the season, voiced his opinion about the new rule and thinks it will negate the role of an all-rounder.

“It [usage of Impact Player] depends if you bat or bowl first,” Ponting said at an event in New Delhi.

“So at the toss, we will be putting in a bowling-first team and a batting-first team. And obviously if you bat first, you’re probably going to sub in a batter. Or if you bat first and lose an early wicket, you might want to bring in a batter straight on top of that. So there are a number of different ways to use it.

While there are mixed opinions about the rule, Ponting believes that unless a side has a world-class player they won’t be excessively using the impact player. He further adds, there will not be many teams who will use a batter at number seven and perhaps could help in the bowling department.

“It actually almost negates the role of allrounders in the game now. So unless they’re absolutely world-class and they’re getting picked either as a batsman or as a bowler, not sort of a bits and pieces guy, then I don’t think you’ll see many, many teams this year actually use the guy that might bat at seven and maybe bowling over or two. Because you don’t need those guys anymore.”

Delhi will kick start its IPL 2023 campaign on Saturday, April 1 against Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow and will try to clinch their first-ever title. Delhi will be without regular skipper and influential man Rishabh Pant who was injured during a tragic accident in December. Veteran star David Warner will now be in charge of the side as they try to go all the way.

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