'Impact player needs to go away': Sachin Tendulkar wants IPL rule overhaul to restore bat-ball balance

Indian batting icon Sachin Tendulkar has urged the IPL to do away with the controversial Impact Player rule, saying it has further skewed the balance in favour of batters. He also suggested changes to the powerplay format and bowling restrictions to make contests between bat and ball more even.

The Impact Player rule, brought in ahead of the 2023 season, allows teams to replace a member of the playing XI with one of five nominated substitutes at any point during a match.

Speaking at the ESPNcricinfo Awards, Tendulkar said, "I feel there are a few things which, on a personal note that I can say, I think the impact player needs to go away."

Explaining his concerns, he added, "I feel when in a T20 format you just have to play 20 overs, and then you are adding one more batter to that line-up. Where bowlers are already being challenged, I find that imbalance."

Tendulkar believes the rule has aggravated an existing trend in T20 cricket, where batting-friendly pitches and soaring totals have increasingly put bowlers under pressure.

The rule has previously come under scrutiny from players such as India captain Shubman Gill and former skipper Rohit Sharma, who have argued that it reduces the role of all-rounders and removes an important strategic aspect of the game.

To address the imbalance, Tendulkar proposed splitting the six-over powerplay into two phases. Under his suggestion, the first four overs would remain a batting powerplay with existing field restrictions, while the remaining two overs could be taken later in the innings at the discretion of the fielding captain.

"(In) the powerplay of six overs with field restrictions, only two fielders are allowed outside the ring. Let the first four overs be batters' powerplay with the same field restrictions," he said.

"Post that, the remaining two powerplay overs should be determined by the fielding captain as and when he wants to take. Those two consecutive overs will also get one fielder extra outside the ring at any stage of the game," added Tendulkar.

"So you (the fielding side) are able to control the game better," he noted.

He also recommended increasing the maximum quota for one bowler from four overs to five, arguing that teams should be allowed to rely more heavily on their most effective bowler.

"One bowler should be allowed to bowl five overs. Because invariably the best bowler of the side is going to bowl that fifth over," he said.

"Wouldn't you want to see that best bowler bowl more? The top batters are batting sometimes even 20 overs. Why shouldn't the best bowler be bowling five overs?" he asked.

(With PTI inputs)