IPL: Shubman Gill slams Impact Player rule, calls it 'one-dimensional'
What's the story
Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill has slammed the Indian Premier League's (IPL) Impact Player rule, saying it takes the skill out of the game. The rule was introduced in IPL 2023 after a successful trial run in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2022. While some have welcomed it for allowing teams to bolster their batting line-ups, others like Gill feel it makes cricket more one-dimensional.
Game dynamics
Gill's thoughts on the matter
Gill argued that cricket is traditionally an 11-player game and adding an extra batsman takes away from its complexity. "Personally for me, I don't think there should be Impact player," Gill said in a press conference on Thursday. He said that with that one extra player, it is making the game more one dimensional. The GT captain also expressed his preference for chasing lower scores on challenging wickets over high targets on flat tracks.
Winning mindset
GT captain focused on winning matches
Despite the Impact Player rule's influence on batting totals, Gill is more focused on winning matches for his team. He said, "At the end of the day, you have to score more runs than the other team." "We are not chasing the glory of scoring 300-350 in a single match. We want to be a team that consistently scores big runs and achieves the par target for that wicket," Gill asserted.
Performance history
Gill has been consistent in IPL
Gill, who led his team to the playoffs last year, has been one of the most consistent batters in IPL history. He has scored 440, 478, 483, 890, 426, and 650 runs since the tournament's 2020 edition. Ahead of GT's IPL 2026 season opener against Punjab Kings on March 31, Gill said he had nothing to prove this season as he has already scored the most runs in IPL over the past few seasons.