Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter Venkatesh Iyer has admitted that the impact rule has led to all-rounders getting less overs in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. Iyer who smashed the first century for KKR since the first match of inaugural season of IPL feels that impact players have revolutionised the game.
"Honestly, with the coming of impact players, the number of overs an all-rounder is bowling has dropped down drastically," Iyer told the reporters ahead of KKR’s clash against Delhi Capitals (DC).
Iyer has not bowled a single over in the five games of KKR. He said that now the captains are reluctant to give overs to all-rounder as they have services of speciallist bowler.
"Obviously, if a team has a specialist bowler as their sixth bowler and they don't want to try their all-rounder.... this is what impact player rule has brought. It has lessened the utility of all-rounders,” the 28-year-old said.
Iyer feels that the franchises have already figured out how to use impact players to their advantage.
"It's a very interesting rule that has come in place. If you are playing in the IPL, it's an international level tournament, the think tank is so big in the every team that I guess they might have figured it out in the very first match itself.
"By now everyone knows how to use the impact player. If you see the results the impact players are turning out to be an X factor."
Iyer also revealed that he has been given clearance to bowl by National Cricket Academy (NCA). In the last season, he bowled just four overs and did not pick up a wicket. In IPL 2021, he picked up three wickets and had an economy rate of 8.11 runs per over.
"I am 100 per cent ready to bowl. I was given clearance by the NCA. The most pleasing thing is not the runs I am scoring, the thing that I am back on the field and play in such a big tournament," the left-handed batter said.
When asked about how does he feel after coming back from an ankle injury and scoring a century, he said, “Scoring and all is secondary, I am truly grateful to the almighty that I am just able to play.”
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