Suresh Raina hit the IPL Impact Player rule: Nothing left for the bowlers

Former Chennai Super Kings batsman Suresh Raina has criticized the Impact Player rule in the Indian Premier League, claiming that it is increasingly making life difficult for the bowlers and giving the batsmen too much of an advantage.

Raina, who has played 228 IPL matches in his career, believes the rule has contributed to the rise in high-scoring matches, with teams now regularly posting totals above 200 and even threatening to reach 300.

“I’m against the Impact Player rule. A lot of good players also bat and just sit. There’s nothing left for the bowlers. It’s tough for the bowlers. Even 300 is scored. With the extra batting, there will be pressure on the bowlers,” Raina said in a podcast with former India batsman Aakash Chopra.

Introduced in IPL in 2023, Impact Player rule allows teams to name five substitutes after the draw, one of whom can replace a player from the starting XI during a match. Substitution can be introduced after the first ball has been thrown.

Raina feels that the extra batting option has tipped the balance significantly in favor of the batsmen. Teams can use specialist batsmen and bowlers at different stages of the match, reducing the need for players to intervene with both bat and ball.

The former India international also pointed to the dramatic rise in batting standards since the introduction of the rule. Several teams have crossed the 250-run mark in recent seasons, while totals that once seemed difficult to chase are still within reach.

Raina also supported BCCI’s decision to prevent active Indian players from featuring in overseas T20 franchise leagues.

“I feel Indian players should not be allowed now. Our league has become very big. When we went on tours before, I asked about it. I was also close to playing but then they said no,” he said.

“Now a lot of players come here from outside and the quality of the foreign leagues has also gone down. I would definitely say yes then. But in this day and age, we rule the world.”

Raina ended his IPL career with 5,528 runs in 228 matches, including one century and 39 fifties. He won the title three times with CSK and remains one of the most successful players in the history of the league.

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Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

05 Sep 2026 13:14 IST