New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah opened up on a lot of subjects in a recent interaction with The Times group. Among the host of questions directed towards the BCCI boss, there was a query on the future of the Impact Player rule in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Since coming into effect in IPL 2023, the rule has been a topic of big debate, with several cricketers blaming it for the record-breaking scores and damaging the balance between bat and ball.
Shah said that the rule has its negatives and positives and revealed that the decision regarding the future of the rule will be announced soon.
Shah stated that all the stakeholders spoke about the issue in the recent meeting with the franchise owners and explained the Pros and Cons of the rule.
Pros and Cons of Impact Player Rule
“We had a long chat about this in the recent meeting with the franchise owners. We had a long chat among our domestic teams also. There are positives and negatives to it. The negative is that it affects the all-rounders and the positive side is that it gives an opportunity to an extra Indian player. We should think about the broadcasters also. For me as an administrator, the game is important. Let’s see what feedback we’re getting,” he said during an interview with the TOI.
Shah also opened up on the player retentions in IPL and the mega-auction. Several franchise owners have made reservations about the mega-auction and Shah said that the decision will be taken based on the inputs of every stakeholder.
“We have heard everyone out. Now, the decision rests on us. We must take the majority view on it. But even the minority view is important. The teams that are settled do not want a mega auction. Those franchises that have an unsettled team, want a mega auction. As a cricket fan, I feel consistency is important, but shuffling things up makes it interesting and helps in growing the game,” he added.
A 15-day window between IPL and WTC Final
The BCCI has faced criticism over the scheduling of the IPL, which finished just before the World Test Championship final on both occasions. India have made the final twice but ended up on the losing side on both occasions. Shah rejected the notion of scheduling conflict but said that there will be a 15-day gap between the end of IPL and the WTC final.
Besides touching on various issues related to IPL, Shah also revealed that India had rejected ICC’s request to host the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, refusing to replace Bangladesh as the host. The marquee event will be held in October but looking at the current situation of civil unrest in Bangladesh, the tournament is likely to be shifted to another country.
Shah said the that upcoming home series against Bangladesh is important for the BCCI but no communication has been from either side.
Shah also opened up on the new state-of-the-art National Cricket Academy (NCA), revealing that it will be available for Olympic athletes like Neeeraj Chopra.
Jay Shah said that the Impact rule has its negatives and positives and revealed that the decision regarding the future of the rule will be announced soon. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
