'Impact Player' rule to be used in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023

India's domestic T20 tournament, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy will be played in October this year.

The newly inducted ‘Impact Player’ rule will be used again in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as well. Impact rule law was first introduced in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last season and then in the recently concluded Indian Premier League season and now with a huge success in the IPL 2023, Impact players will now be used again in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023.

BCCI’s Apex Council meeting gave the final nod to the decision. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy will begin on 16th October. Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting pointed out that this rule has almost negated the role of an all-rounder in the side and the teams could field an extra batter or an extra bowler as and when needed in the playing eleven. 

Earlier the teams have to pick 4 substitute players to use as Impact Players. Impact players could be brought in before the end of the 14th Over or just after the innings. Now, after the Apex Council meeting the board gave a green signal to teams to use the Impact Player at any time during the game. The new guidelines state that both teams are allowed to use one impact player per match and it is however not compulsory to use. Hritik Shokeen was used as the first Impact player in the previous season's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Tushar Deshpande was the first player to be used as an Impact Player in the Indian Premier League. 

Many teams benefited from the Impact rule as they could plan out a chase or total defense as per the players. Former Australian captain and Current Delhi Capitals head coach, Ricky Ponting gave his opinion on the Impact rule and said, “It actually negates the role of all-rounders in the game now. So unless they are absolutely world-class and they are getting picked either as a batter or as a bowler, not sort of a bits and pieces guy, then I don’t think you will see many, many teams this year actually use the guy that might bat at seven and maybe bowling over or two. Because you don’t need those guys anymore”.