The debate surrounding the Impact Player rule in the Indian Premier League continues to rage, but former India captain Sourav Ganguly has made it clear that the regulation is unlikely to be lifted anytime soon.
Responding to criticism from India’s T20 vice-captain and Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel, who recently said the rule stunted the growth of all-rounders, Ganguly acknowledged that opinions may differ but insisted the rule applies here.
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“Impact Player rule, I think it will stay. When I was the BCCI president, it already came. So this will stay. Some will like it, some won’t,” Ganguly said on the sidelines of the event.
The Impact Player rule allows teams to substitute players from the list of five at any stage of the match, which adds tactical flexibility but also changes the traditional role of all-rounders in T20 cricket.
Ganguly also reiterated his strong opinion on the importance of Test cricket, calling it the strongest format of the game despite the growing popularity of T20 leagues.
“I think Test cricket is a real format because one has to bowl 20 to 25 overs in a day. Bowling four overs in a T20 match is much easier. T20 cricket is the least demanding in terms of quality. But T20 cricket is a format that attracts people. It’s just a three-hour evening full of sixes and fours,” he said.
He added that in countries like India, England, Australia and South Africa, Test cricket will always remain special and pointed out that young players are still eager to succeed in the longest format.
Ganguly also spoke about IPL’s rapid financial growthespecially amid reports of Rajasthan Royals being valued at US$1.63 billion in a potential deal led by US-based entrepreneur Kal Somani. He described the numbers as staggering and said the league will expand to even greater heights as it expands globally, including in the United States.
Looking ahead to the new season, Ganguly highlighted several young players to watch, including Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi, who has impressed in domestic cricket. He also named Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Washington Sundar and Suryakumar Yadav as part of a talented young group that rose to fame.
The former India captain also reiterated that he remains open to coaching opportunities in the future. Ganguly, who recently led Pretoria Capitals to second place in the South African SA20 league, said he wants to remain involved in the game in any capacity.
“The most important thing for me is cricket. I have played, captained, managed and now coached. Whatever opportunities I get, I will explore them,” he said.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
25 March 2026 09:26 IST
