Two seasons of the Impact Player rule in the IPL have produced some thrilling cricket and some deeply uncomfortable questions about what T20 cricket is for.

The case for: scores are up (average first-innings total in IPL 2026: 191, up from 172 in 2022), fan engagement is up, and the tactical flexibility rewards preparation. Captains who have thought harder about their batting depth consistently outperform those who haven't.

The case against: specialists are suffering. Fast bowlers now routinely concede 40+ runs in four overs knowing an extra bat can cover for any innings failure. The bowling art is being devalued.

More troubling is the structural imbalance. Only three of the ten IPL franchises have used the impact player to introduce an additional bowler in the 2026 season. Seven use it exclusively to add batting firepower. The rule has effectively become a license to carry an extra batter.

I'm not calling for an immediate abolition. The BCCI has invested in the concept. But the rule needs refinement: limit impact player substitutions to the bowling unit — or at minimum, mandate that at least one-third of substitutions across a season must be bowling enhancements.

T20 needs bowlers. The impact player rule, as currently designed, disagrees.