Former Chennai Super Kings Star Slams IPL Impact Player Rule: ‘Nothing Left for Bowlers’ in Modern T20 Cricket

Suresh Raina has strongly criticized the IPL Impact Player rule, claiming it has tilted the balance heavily in favor of batters. The former Chennai Super Kings star believes soaring totals, frequent 250-plus chases, and reduced wicket-taking opportunities have negatively impacted bowlers.

Add NewsX As A Trustedtra
Published: September 5, 2026 11:46:51 IST

Impact Player Rule in IPL: Since its inception in 2023, the Impact Player rule in the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been a controversial addition to the tournament. Current players and former stars have come out criticising the rule. One of these critics is now former IPL star Suresh Raina. The former left-handed batter has come out and talked about how there is no room for improvement in the IPL due to the impact player rule. Since 2024, the rate of scoring has increased substantially, with batters taking an extra amount of risk thanks to the impact player rule.

Suresh Raina Slams Impact Player Rule in IPL

Former Indian cricketer and a four-time IPL champion with Chennai Super Kings, Suresh Raina believes that nowadays the tournament doesn’t have scope for improvement due to the introduction of the impact player. He remarked that bowlers have fared poorly in the format due to the rule.

While speaking to Aakash Chopra, Raina said, “I am against the Impact player rule. A lot of fit players also bat and just sit down. How will you improve? There is no such rule in the World Cup. I understand the entertainment factor, but there is nothing left for the bowlers.”

“Earlier, 170 was a competitive score, but now 250 is being chased as well. Even 300 is being scored. Leave something for the bowlers. There is no wicket-taking option. The batters don’t get out, and with extra batters, there will be pressure on the bowlers,” Raina added.

Indian Players Should be Allowed to Play in Overseas Leagues

Suresh Raina further opined against the popular idea of Indian players being allowed to play in overseas franchise leagues around the world. While many former experts and cricketers have talked about how playing in overseas leagues could help the players, Raina believes there is no need to play in leagues like the Big Bash League or The Hundred, since the IPL is much bigger than the leagues around the world in comparison.

He said, “I feel Indian players shouldn’t be allowed now. Our league has become very big. When we used to go on Australia and England tours before, I used to ask this. I had come close to playing as well, but then they said no.”

Pragun is a passionate cricket follower and writer who deeply loves the game. Having completed his education with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has an experience of almost two years in diverse fields. He is known for his statistical and analytical articles. Pragun tries to bring life to his articles by adding a layer of enthusiasm from the perspective of a hardcore fan. Apart from writing cricket articles, he sometimes appears on YouTube videos on a friend’s podcast.

Published byPragun Mehrotra
Published: September 5, 2026 11:46:51 IST
Tags:iplSuresh Raina