The rule in plain terms
- After the toss each captain hands over a team sheet naming a starting XI and up to five substitutes. Because the sheet is submitted after the toss, teams can pick a different XI depending on whether they bat or bowl first.
- One substitute may be introduced at any point before the end of the 14th over of either innings.
- The swap can happen before an innings starts, at the end of an over, at the fall of a wicket or when a batter retires. The fourth umpire signals it by crossing both arms above the head.
- The replaced player takes no further part — they cannot bat, bowl, field or return as a substitute fielder.
- An Impact Player who comes on as a bowler may bowl a full four overs, regardless of how many the player they replaced had already bowled.
- Only eleven players may bat in an innings. If the replaced player has already batted, the substitute can still bat, but one of the remaining original players will have to miss out.
- A maximum of four overseas players may be on the field. If the XI already includes four, the Impact Player must be Indian.
- The rule is not available if the match is reduced to fewer than ten overs per side before it starts.
How teams typically use it
A team batting first will often start with seven batters and only four frontline bowlers, then swap a top-order batter for a fast bowler or spinner at the innings break. A team chasing does the reverse: it bowls with five specialists, then brings in an extra batter at the start of the chase. The very first Impact Player in IPL history was Chennai Super Kings' Tushar Deshpande, who replaced Ambati Rayudu in the 2023 season opener against Gujarat Titans. Gujarat replied by sending in Sai Sudharsan for the injured Kane Williamson.
What it changed: the numbers
The effect on scoring was immediate. IPL 2023 produced 37 team totals of 200 or more, then a record. IPL 2024 pushed that to 41, including Sunrisers Hyderabad's 287 for 3 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru — the highest total in T20 franchise history at the time — and a match aggregate of 549 runs in the same game. With an extra specialist batter available, the top six bat with far less fear of a collapse, and bowlers face eight capable hitters rather than six.
How it compares with other substitution rules
| Rule | Where and when | Key difference |
|---|---|---|
| Super Sub | ODIs, 2005–06 | Named before the toss, so it favoured the toss winner; scrapped after one season |
| X-Factor | Big Bash League, 2020–23 | Sub only after the 10th over of the first innings, for a player who had not batted or bowled more than one over; dropped |
| Concussion substitute | All cricket since 2019 | Medical only, must be like-for-like, approved by the match referee |
| Impact Player | IPL since 2023, also domestic T20 | Tactical, available to both sides at any point before the 14th over of either innings |
Arguments in favour
- Higher scores and closer chases
- A twelfth player gets game time — usually an Indian domestic cricketer
- Adds a layer of strategy for captains and coaches
- Reduces the advantage of winning the toss
Arguments against
- All-rounders lose value; Rohit Sharma said he was "not a big fan" because it takes the balance out of the game
- Young Indian players have less reason to develop as all-rounders
- The team batting first must guess how the pitch will play
- Adds complexity for casual viewers
Why it matters for the Indian national side
International T20 cricket does not use the rule, so a player who spends the IPL as a specialist batter or bowler must adapt when they join India's XI, where a bowling all-rounder at number seven is still essential. The BCCI weighed this against the entertainment value and confirmed in 2024 that the rule would continue until at least the end of the 2027 cycle.
How to spot it on TV
Broadcasters show an "Impact Player" graphic with two arrows when the substitution is made, and the scorecard lists the incoming player with a small icon next to their name. Keep an eye on the 14th over of each innings: if a team has not used its substitute by then, the option is gone, and you will sometimes see a late, slightly desperate swap in the 13th over to avoid wasting it.