IPL 2024 Update: Bowlers to Deliver Two Bouncers Per Over, Impact Player Rule Continues
In a bid to level the playing field between bat and ball, IPL 2024 is set to implement a significant change—bowlers will be allowed to deliver two bouncers per over. This alteration, successfully trialed during the 2023-24 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India’s domestic T20 tournament, aims to enhance the bowlers’ arsenal and introduce an element of unpredictability for batsmen.
Bowlers Welcome the Change
Veteran fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat, with IPL experience and a base price of INR 50 lakh (USD 60,000 approx.) for the upcoming auction, has expressed enthusiasm for the new rule. Unadkat sees the allowance of two bouncers as a valuable tool for bowlers, providing an added advantage and forcing batsmen to adapt to different strategies.
The Impact Player rule, introduced in IPL 2023, will continue to shape team dynamics. Under this rule, teams, in addition to naming their playing XI, must list four substitutes at the toss. Any one of these four substitutes can be designated as the Impact Player for that match.
A notable aspect of the Impact Player rule pertains to overseas players. If a team starts with four overseas players in their XI, they are restricted to selecting an Indian player as the Impact Player. However, if the team begins with three or fewer overseas players in the XI, they have the flexibility to bring in an overseas player as the Impact Player, provided that the player is among the four substitutes named at the toss.
Impact on Allrounders
The Impact Player rule, introduced to add strategic depth to team compositions, has implications for the role of allrounders. Players like Venkatesh Iyer, Vijay Shankar, and Shivam Dube, who often served as allrounders in the previous season, faced adjustments as they primarily featured as batters.
The trading window, currently closed, is scheduled to reopen on December 20, following the mini-auction. Teams will have the opportunity to make strategic moves and adjustments during this window, which will remain open for up to a month before the commencement of the IPL 2024 season.
The upcoming season of IPL is expected to take place between March 22 and the end of May. The final schedule, however, will be contingent on the finalization of polling dates for India’s general elections by the Election Commission. Stay tuned for further updates on IPL 2024, promising exciting changes for both players and fans alike.
