Cricket

Mitchell Starc, the most expensive pick in IPL history, has endured a challenging start to his 2024 campaign. Despite his hefty price tag of INR 24.75 crore, the Australian pacer has struggled to make an impact, with just seven wickets and an economy of 11.78 in his first eight outings. However, Starc bounced back with a stellar performance in Kolkata Knight Riders' 24-run victory over Mumbai Indians, claiming 4 for 33.Starc attributed his improved performance to the Impact Player rule, which allows teams to substitute a player during the match. "The Impact Player rule changes things a fair bit," he explained. "Everyone gets to bat a lot deeper having a batting and a bowling XI. There's a lot made of that rule throughout the tournament and there's been a lot of high scores, which is the nature of the wickets and the grounds we play on here."Starc believes that the rule has contributed to the inflated bowling figures this season. "When you have batters and batting allrounders come in at Nos. 8 or 9, it's a long batting line-up," he said. "There's no fear in the powerplay when all you have to do is to clear the infield and score runs."Despite his initial struggles, Starc remains confident in his abilities. "I haven't changed too much," he said. "It's about assessing conditions after the first innings. We certainly spoke about it and the batters that came off throughout that first innings mentioned the wicket and the lengths that were the hardest to face. That created the bowling plans for us."Starc also praised the young fast bowlers at KKR, including Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora. "I am a bit more experienced and a bit older, at the same time I haven't played a lot of T20 cricket," he said. "[So it is about] working off each other in a way."With just one week separating the IPL from the T20 World Cup, Starc is not concerned about his workload. "It's T20 cricket, it's not as demanding as Test match cricket," he said. "Physically it is not a problem and it's fantastic lead-in to play here in the best T20 league in the world."Starc expects the T20 World Cup to provide a more balanced contest between bat and ball. "There's no Impact Player rule [in international cricket], so whether that affects the scores is yet to be seen," he said. "I think it probably will. People talk about the balance of the team when you can't just bring someone in. Your allrounders come back into play. Captains have to think a bit tactically, too, when you have just 11 players."

Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma, who had previously criticized the IPL's "impact player" rule, found himself benched in the match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as an impact substitute in an IPL 2024 game.Sharma had expressed his disapproval of the rule, stating that it would hinder all-rounders and that cricket is played by 11 players, not 12. He argued that the rule takes away from the game's cricketing aspect and prevents players like Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar from bowling.However, in the MI vs KKR match, Sharma was not included in the starting XI. Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya elected to bowl first, making one change to the playing XI by bringing in Naman Dhir for Mohammad Nabi.Pandya acknowledged the team's recent struggles but expressed optimism about playing well on their home ground. KKR captain Shreyas Iyer opted to field an unchanged side.Mumbai entered the game after three consecutive defeats, while KKR had won two and lost one in their last three matches. Despite KKR's recent success, Mumbai holds a dominant head-to-head record, having won 23 out of 32 matches.

T20 Cricket's Evolution: Ponting Analyzes Batting Strategies and the Impact Player RuleRicky Ponting, the esteemed coach of Delhi Capitals and former Australian cricket legend, has provided insightful commentary on the remarkable evolution of T20 cricket and the transformative shifts in batting strategies that have shaped the modern era.Ponting acknowledges the once-unthinkable possibility of 300-run scores, attributing this to the liberating effect of the impact player rule on batters. He emphasizes the abandonment of traditional settling-in periods, highlighting the immediate need to "go out and hit from ball one."The significance of strike rates has also escalated, with Ponting noting the increasing focus on achieving specific strike rates regardless of ball count. He observes that teams like Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians employ varying approaches to anchor roles, recognizing the need for stability and explosiveness in different team compositions.Ponting initially harbored skepticism towards T20 cricket's sustainability, but he now recognizes its enduring appeal, particularly evident in the high-octane spectacle of the Indian Premier League. He applauds the fearlessness and adaptability of modern batters, emphasizing their relentless pursuit of innovation and range-hitting prowess.Ponting predicts a paradigm shift towards 250-plus scores in India, fueled by the impact player rule and evolving ground dynamics. He believes that the format will continue to evolve, with batters pushing the boundaries of innovation and entertainment.

The "Impact Player" rule, introduced in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has inadvertently disadvantaged power-hitter Rinku Singh, who has been relegated to the reserves for the T20 World Cup. The rule allows teams to substitute a player during the match, giving them an extra tactical option.However, this rule has limited Rinku's playing time. As a finisher for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), he has only faced 82 balls in eight innings, averaging just 10 balls per innings. In contrast, Shivam Dube, who has played 203 balls for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), has been included in the main squad due to his increased game time.Dube's ability to hit sixes (26) and fours (24) on slower decks has impressed the selectors. CSK captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has effectively utilized Dube's power-hitting skills, while KKR has prioritized other players like Venkatesh Iyer and Shreyas Iyer.Rinku's strike rate of 176 in 15 games for India is impressive, but it has not been enough to secure him a spot in the main squad. His omission is reminiscent of Ambati Rayudu's unfortunate exclusion from the 2019 ODI World Cup squad.Despite being named as a reserve, Rinku has a chance to make the 15-man squad if any of the first-team members are injured. The selectors also have the option to change the squad until May 23 if they deem it necessary.

Axar Patel, the versatile left-arm spinner and batsman for Delhi Capitals, has expressed concerns over the potential impact of the 'Impact Player' rule on the role of all-rounders in cricket. The rule, introduced in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season, allows teams to substitute players during innings, raising questions about the value of players who excel in both batting and bowling.Patel, who played a crucial role in Delhi Capitals' victory over Gujarat Titans on Wednesday, believes that the rule could marginalize all-rounders. "As an all-rounder, I feel that an all-rounder's role is in danger with the Impact Player rule," he said. "Every team is looking to play either a pure batter or a pure bowler as the Impact Player, and the all-rounders are not being used."Patel's concerns echo those of other prominent cricketers, including Indian captain Rohit Sharma and former players. The rule has sparked debate and scrutiny, with some arguing that it undermines the importance of all-rounders and creates confusion in team selection.Despite his reservations about the Impact Player rule, Patel delivered a standout performance against Gujarat Titans. Promoted to number three in the batting order, he counterattacked with a blistering 43-ball 66, helping Delhi Capitals recover from a precarious 44/3 to post a formidable total of 224/4.Patel's innings was a testament to his all-round abilities. He not only provided a much-needed boost to the team's batting but also claimed a wicket in the defense of their total. His performance highlights the value of players who can contribute in multiple facets of the game.However, Patel believes that the Impact Player rule could diminish the significance of all-rounders. With teams opting for specialized batters or bowlers as substitutes, all-rounders may find themselves relegated to a secondary role. This could have implications for the development of young players who aspire to excel in both batting and bowling.As the IPL season progresses, the Impact Player rule will continue to be a topic of discussion. Patel's concerns raise important questions about the future of all-rounders in cricket and the impact of rule changes on the game's dynamics.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) bowling coach Morne Morkel provided an update on the team's injured pacer Mayank Yadav, who has been recovering from abdominal soreness. Morkel revealed that Yadav has resumed bowling in the nets and is expected to return to match action soon."Mayank is progressing very well. We are happy with his recovery," Morkel said. "He started bowling three or four days ago, so it's just a matter of time now."Morkel emphasized the importance of Yadav's return, stating that the team is eager to have him back in the lineup. "It's just to really get his body and mind in that sort of state where he is confident to run in and bowl four overs at a tight pace," he said.Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batting coach Michael Hussey discussed the impact of the new "impact player" rule in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Hussey acknowledged the potential challenges it poses for bowlers, especially in favorable batting conditions."It's pretty scary from a bowling point of view, especially if the conditions are good for batting," Hussey said. "I think from an entertainment and spectator point of view, it's been really good."Hussey believes the rule places a greater emphasis on execution with the ball. "We've certainly put a big focus on death bowling in particular and feel as though death bowling is going to be really important in this tournament, particularly with the impact players," he said.

Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma has revealed that he has opted to stay at home during Mumbai Indians' home matches in the ongoing IPL 2024. This decision marks a departure from his previous practice of staying with his teammates at the team hotel.In a recent interview, Rohit explained that he prefers to stay at home when matches are held at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. He arrives at the stadium an hour before team meetings and spends the rest of his time with his family."I am staying at home actually. The last four matches Mumbai Indians played here (Wankhede), I was staying at home. Just going an hour before when we have the team meeting. It's been good, a little different but good," Rohit said on the Club Prairie Fire podcast.Rohit also shared his views on the Impact Player Rule introduced in the IPL this season. He expressed concerns that it could hinder the development of young all-rounders."I genuinely feel it is going to hold back the development of all-rounders because eventually cricket is played by 11 players, not 12. So I am not a big fan of the Impact Player Rule because you are taking so much from the game just to make it a little more entertaining for the people around you. But just in the cricketing aspect of it, I feel guys like Washington Sundar, and Shivam Dube are not getting to bowl, which is not a good thing for us (India)," Rohit said.While acknowledging the entertainment value of the rule, Rohit emphasized that it could compromise the integrity of the game."It is entertaining though, as there are 12 players to select from and whoever that Impact player is, can see how the game is going and change it based on what you need, and how the pitch is behaving. If you bat well and don't lose too many wickets, you can add a bowler, which gives you the option of having 6-7 bowlers. You don't need that extra batter because a lot of the teams upfront are batting well and you hardly see No. 7 or 8 coming to bat," he added.