Why was Shubman Gill not fielding against Lucknow?

Impact Player rule is going to cause harm in the long run.

Why was Shubman Gill not fielding against Lucknow?

Shubman Gill (Image Credit: BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)

The Indian Premier League continues to make a huge impact, especially in prime time over the weekends. As another extravaganza unfolded on Sunday, with Gujarat Titans whacking Lucknow Super Giants, the result was more or less decisive after the defending champions racked up a huge score, 227 to be precise.

It was a study in contrast, watching the two openers go hammer and tong. Yes, 38-year-old Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill, 23, were a study in contrast. The grammar of their batting was similar, yet Gill was unlucky not to complete his century. Social media is agog with how Saha should be now considered for the ICC World Test Championship. He is a good keeper and his batting strike rate has been impressive. The debate will continue in the coming days, as the list of unfit players is increasing for Team India, with KL Rahul‘s injury now in the news.

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What was galling on Sunday was Gill, young and fresh, was substituted as a fielder. Come on, as a batter if Gill was so robust and smashed the Lucknow bowling attack, he should have come out. He is fit, at least there is no word he got injured. He should have been fielding.

This whole drama of Impact Rule in the IPL 2023 is been crazy. As it is, there is confusion galore in the roles being taken up by different guys as batters and bowlers. Why would you not bring Gill out, a young man who is full of energy and has his role cut out? He is considered an all-format player. So, ideally, it would be proper to make him bat as well as field.

Looking at the future, Gill is billed as the next big thing in Indian cricket. He should be on the field. Let people not forget, in international cricket, there is no Impact Player rule. Guys who field well in white ball cricket are a big asset. Maybe Gujarat Titans coaching head Ashish Nehra, who himself dealt with ankle injuries many times, can explain. If Gill was a bowler, resting him could have made sense, though.

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Impact Player rule will make players lazy

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L-Faf du Plessis, R-Rohit Sharma (Image Credit: BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)

To be sure, this whole Impact Player thing is getting a bit too much. Almost all teams have used it, though which way it is helping cannot be said with certainty. One guy who is unfit and under fire now is India Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma. He has hid under the Impact Player rule and also taken breaks. The whole halo over Hitman has taken a hit. He remains a target, a punching bag of sorts. It is about Rohit’s own batting as well as how the Mumbai Indians have done badly in IPL 2023.

If you look at RCB, who lost to Delhi Capitals on Saturday night, their captain, Faf du Plessis, has also been in and out. It meant he handed over the captaincy to Virat Kohli. In some matches, Faf sat out but then also was in on some occasions as Impact Player. RCB are fighting to make it to the last four, though people will still be critical about Kohli’s strike rate.

The Impact Rule was first tried out in the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament last season. In 2023, the IPL accepted it. The general feeling is Impact Rule will kill the all-rounders. After all, in white ball cricket, the all-rounder is important. Bat, bowl, and field. The gut feeling among many experts now is the Impact Player rule will make many star players lazy. To be doing a part-time job in IPL is very different from international cricket.

From Sunil Gavaskar to Ravi Shastri, they have voiced opinions. This season, Prithvi Shaw has been a disaster. Even Shaw has been “used” under Impact Player rule. “A player of his quality, at his age, he should want to be in the thick of things all the time and not say, I’m happy as the Impact Player,” said Ravi Shastri last month.

For every young player being hidden or used as an Impact Player, batter or bowler, there are two great examples, Wriddhiman Saha and MS Dhoni. They are playing with no qualms. Dhoni leads with flair, feel, and felicity. At 42, he wants to be in the middle of the IPL for CSK. That’s the spirit of Thalaa. Saha has also been very sporting. He was condemned due to his age and ruled out for the Team India selection.

At least, the oldies are showing their real value, not masquerading as Impact Players! Maybe, the BCCI will realize in the long run this Impact Player Rule will ruin Indian cricket. Keep watching!

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