Indian National Cricket Team bowling is excellent Zaheer Khan He took on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for sharing his honest views on the much-discussed Impact Player rule in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
There have been calls to remove the Impact Player rule from the Indian Premier League (IPL) as many pundits feel that it is unfair to the bowlers and stunts all-round development in Indian cricket.
The likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are also not fans of the Impact Player rule and have expressed their concerns about it. The current Indian captain said the addition of the 12th man has prevented Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar from playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which is not good for Indian cricket.
Kohli, on the other hand, said that the introduction of the Impact Player rule has led to bowlers being bowled, which has upset the balance between the bat and the ball.
However, not all cricketers and pundits are completely against the rule as the likes of Aakash Chopra and Ravichandran Ashwin have come out in support and suggested the BCCI not to remove it.
The latest expert to share his views on the matter is the newly appointed mentor of Lucknow Super Giants, Zaheer Khan. In a media interaction soon after he was officially named the mentor of the franchise, Zaheer Khan said that he likes the rule as it gives underachieving players an opportunity to showcase their talent on the big stage.
“I am going to say that I am in favor of it,” Zaheer said at a press conference in Kolkata. “It has certainly given opportunities to many Indian talents. That’s something you’ll see in the mega auction when teams look at them. This opportunity goes a long way in improving Indian cricket as a whole. Time spent on matches is something you can’t beat. This is the biggest plus.”
As far as all-rounders are concerned, there is no room for a half (half-baked) all-rounder right now – Zaheer Khan
Zaheer Khan further shared his candid views saying that the Impact Player rule does not adversely affect true all-rounders. He added that the half-back all-rounders are the ones making room for the Impact substitutes in the XI, but the requisite all-rounders still contribute well in every department.
“As far as all-rounders are concerned, there is no place for a half-baked all-rounder who is currently under influence. But if you are a true all-rounder, no one can stop you. There will always be added value with bat and ball skills.”
Meanwhile, Zaheer Khan has replaced Gautam Gambhir as the mentor of Lucknow Super Giants. He will also oversee the franchise’s scouting and talent development program.
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