Ahmedabad, March 26 Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill became the latest Indian cricketer to criticize the Impact Player rule in the IPL on Wednesday, saying "it takes the skill out of the game".
Other Indian players who have expressed their concerns about the rule include Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and more recently, Delhi Capitals' captain Axar Patel.
At the IPL captains meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday, most captains, including Gill, had sought a review of the rule that the BCCI introduced in 2023, before extending it at least until 2027.
A day later, when asked about his thoughts on the Impact Player rule, which allows teams to play an extra batsman or bowler at any stage of the game, Gill was clear.
"Personally, I don't think there should be an Impact Player. I think cricket is, in general, a game for 11 players, and on pitches where we play, adding an extra batsman makes the game less skill-based," said Gill, who leads India in Tests and ODIs.
"There's a certain level of skill required in the game. When you have a certain number of batsmen, and if a couple get out, there's a certain skill needed to still score runs and get your team to a good score.
"With that extra player, the game becomes one-dimensional, and it takes away some of the skill. Chasing 180 or 160 on a challenging wicket is, for me, much more exciting than chasing 220 on a flat wicket," he added.
The BCCI can only decide on the strategic rule after the 2027 IPL, and until then, Gill and others who object to the rule will have to wait.
"It will remain in place until 2027. We also discussed this in the captain's meeting yesterday. I understand that it makes the game more entertaining, but let's see. It's there. It's up to the BCCI to decide, but personally, I don't like it," added Gill.