IPL: Impact Player Rule Has Changed Batting Dynamics, Says Krunal Pandya

Royal Challengers Bengaluru all-rounder Krunal Pandya believes the Impact Player rule has fundamentally altered batting dynamics in the Indian Premier League, transforming cautious middle orders into relentless eight-man batting arsenals that attack from the first ball.

Speaking to reporters, Pandya traced the shift: earlier editions demanded all-rounders at Nos. 6 and 7 to balance a lineup; now teams can stack up to eight specialist batters, freeing youngsters such as Mukul Choudhary and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to swing without fear. “You see the young boys just coming and hitting from ball one consistently,” he said, adding that bowlers must now win both the skill contest and the mental duel against increasingly fearless units.

The left-arm spinner has responded by diversifying his own craft. After claiming 98 IPL wickets at an economy rate of 7.51, Pandya has added the surprise bouncer and varied lengths to stay a step ahead. “I’m glad it is coming out well,” he noted, while conceding that finger spinners face an uphill task on flat decks against eight recognised hitters.

Pandya’s IPL journey underscores adaptability. Mumbai Indians secured him for Rs 2 crore in 2016 and watched him strike at 191.12 in his debut season. He was Player of the Match in the 2017 final, scoring a vital 47 off 38 in a low-scorer, and hit the title-clinching runs in the 2020 final against Delhi Capitals. Re-signed for Rs 8.80 crore in 2018, he remained central to Mumbai’s back-to-back triumphs in 2019 and 2020. When two new franchises arrived in 2022, Lucknow Super Giants bagged him for Rs 8.25 crore and reached the playoffs in each of their first two seasons. Ahead of IPL 2025, RCB acquired him for Rs 5.75 crore at the Jeddah auction, and the investment paid rich dividends: Pandya’s spell of 4-0-17-2 in the final against Punjab Kings earned him the Player of the Match award and powered Bengaluru to their maiden IPL crown.

With 1,757 runs and 98 wickets across 146 IPL fixtures, Pandya’s evolution mirrors the league’s broader tactical revolution. As eight-man batting orders become the norm, the onus is on bowlers to keep innovating, a challenge the seasoned all-rounder continues to embrace.