“Is that all we want from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi?” Sanjay Manjrekar criticizes IPL Impact Player rule

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Image credit: IPL) NEW DELHI: Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar has expressed serious concerns about the Impact Player rule in the IPL, warning that it could negatively affect the long-term development of young talents like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.The 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals sensation has been one of the biggest stories of IPL 2026, scoring 583 runs in 14 matches and playing a key role in Rajasthan Royals reaching the playoffs. But Manjrekar believes the current rule prevents the youngster from being fully evaluated as a cricketer. Speaking on Sportstar’s Inside Edge podcast, Manjrekar questioned whether the Impact Player rule creates one-dimensional players by limiting their involvement in the game.“The more I think about it, the more I feel that we need to do away with the Impact Player rule for this very reason,” Manjrekar said. “Is this really what we want to see in Vaibhav Sooryavanshi? To see just one side of his game?”“A cricketer should contribute across disciplines”Manjrekar argued that cricket should test players in multiple areas rather than only allowing specialists to contribute for a short period before sitting out the rest of the competition.“I was just thinking about that when I saw Rohit Sharma in the last match. He scored 22 runs off 15 balls. His entire contribution was 15 deliveries,” Manjrekar said. “Yet he’s still going to get a full fee for the match or whatever comes with it. When money can be made easily for very little effort, you have to start questioning that model. That can never be a sustainable, long-term success formula.”The former Indian batsman emphasized that players should not be judged on batting or bowling alone.“A cricketer should be someone who contributes across disciplines,” he added. “Earlier we used to admire players like Inzamam-ul-Haq not only for their batting but also because we saw their other side in the field. That helped you judge and understand the player properly.”

Do you think the Impact Player rule affects the development of young talents like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi?

Manjrekar insisted that the bigger concern lies in player development.“I want the game to test the players more thoroughly,” Manjrekar said. “If someone is a good bowler, I don’t just want to see them bowl four overs. I also want to see how they bowl. The game should examine every aspect of the player, not just one isolated skill.”