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Krunal Pandya: Impact Player Rule Redefines Batting, Challenges Bowlers in IPL

Krunal Pandya highlights a strategic shift in the IPL due to the Impact Player rule, which lets teams play up to eight specialist batters, fostering ultra-aggressive batting from the start. He notes that young players now attack from ball one with confidence, forcing bowlers to constantly evolve both their skills and mental approach. Pandya reflects on his own adaptation, using variations like bouncers, and expresses concern over the survival of finger spinners in this high-scoring environment. His analysis is backed by his own successful IPL career, which includes a Player of the Match award in a winning final.

Key Points: Krunal Pandya on IPL's Impact Player Rule Changing Batting

  • Impact Player allows 8 specialist batters
  • Batting has become more aggressive from ball one
  • Bowlers must evolve skills and mental game
  • Finger spinners face particular difficulty on flat tracks
3 min read

"Batsmanship was quite different": Krunal Pandya highlights how impact player rule is redefining IPL strategy

Krunal Pandya explains how the IPL's Impact Player rule allows teams to field eight specialist batters, making batting more aggressive and bowling more challenging.

"Batsmanship was quite different... now, having eight pure batters... they are just coming and just hitting from ball one consistently. - Krunal Pandya"

Mumbai, April 13

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's, Krunal Pandya explained that the Impact Player rule has significantly changed batting dynamics in the Indian Premier League, noting that earlier, teams relied on all-rounders at No. 6 and 7, but now sides can field up to eight specialist batters, making line-ups far more aggressive.

He highlighted how young players like Mukul Choudhary and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi are coming in and attacking from the very first ball with confidence.

He also emphasised that bowlers must constantly evolve, staying ahead not just in skills, but also in the mental battle against increasingly fearless batting units.

"Previously, without an impact player, you had a number six all-rounder, a number seven all-rounder. Batsmanship was quite different. But now, having eight pure batters, plus the skill set, you see the young boys, like Mukul, Vaibhav, so many of them are just coming and just hitting from ball one consistently. So as a bowler, I always want to be one step ahead with the skill set, as well as with the mental battle, as well," Pandya told the reporters.

Pandya also reflected on his recent success in IPL, saying adapting approach, mixing up his skills, including bowling bouncers and varying his lengths.

He expressed satisfaction that these changes are working, while also acknowledging the growing challenges for finger spinners in T20 cricket.

"And it has just purely come from that, whether it's me bowling those, bending my knee and bowling that bouncer. I mean, it just, I'm glad that it is coming out well and hope that in this format, finger spinners can survive and can take something out of it and do well. Because for finger spinner, with having such flat tracks, and eight batters, it has become very difficult," he added.

Pandya has slammed 1757 runs in IPL so far in 146 fixtures at an average of 21.96, while with the ball, he has scalped 98 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 7.51.

Mumbai Indians got Krunal Pandya in the IPL 2016 auction for Rs 2 crore. He quickly became a key part of a strong lower-middle order at MI alongside Hardik and Kieron Pollard. Pandya scored 237 runs, striking at 191.12, in his first IPL season, and took six wickets.

In the 2017 IPL final, he earned the Player of the Match award for a composed 47 off 38 balls in a low-scoring contest. The following year, MI re-signed him at the auction for Rs 8.80 crore.

He remained a key figure in Mumbai's middle order during their back-to-back title wins in 2019 and 2020, notably hitting the winning runs in the 2020 final against Delhi Capitals. With the addition of two new teams in 2022, he returned to the auction and was picked up by Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 8.25 crore, contributing to their playoff appearances in each of their first two seasons.

Pandya then joined in IPL 2025 after being snapped up for Rs 5.75 crore at the auction in Jeddah and played a vital role in his side's maiden IPL victory.

Pandya was named Player of the Match in the IPL 2025 Final after leading, producing figures of 4-0-17-2 against the Punjab Kings.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As a cricket fan from abroad watching the IPL, this is fascinating. The tactical depth is becoming like a chess match. It does feel a bit unfair to bowlers though. The balance between bat and ball seems skewed now.
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Rohit P
True that! But let's not forget the all-rounders. Players like Krunal himself are becoming even more valuable because they provide that balance. A good all-rounder is worth his weight in gold in this new system.
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Ananya R
It's great for young Indian batters to get this platform and play fearlessly. Players like Mukul and Vaibhav might not have gotten this many chances before. The rule is accelerating their development, which is good for Team India in the long run.
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David E
Respectfully, I have to disagree slightly with the praise. While it creates more sixes, I feel it's making the game a bit one-dimensional—just constant hitting. The art of building an innings or clever bowling in the middle overs is getting lost. It's entertainment, but is it still great cricket?
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Priya S
Krunal's point about finger spinners is so valid. It's becoming a graveyard for them. Bowlers have to be incredibly smart now. The mental battle he talks about is key. It's not just about yorkers and slower balls anymore, but out-thinking the batter.

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