Overview
- The board has not made a final decision and says it will meet all 10 IPL franchises and the tournament broadcaster before ruling on the rule's future.
- The Impact Player rule, introduced in 2023, lets a team replace one player during a match to strengthen batting or bowling depending on the situation.
- Senior players including Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have argued the rule reduces the need for genuine all‑rounders and tilts the balance toward batters.
- Broadcasters and commercial partners credit the rule with deeper batting lineups and higher-scoring, more TV‑friendly matches, giving the BCCI a financial incentive to delay change.
- The board sought franchise feedback after the 2026 season and may time any removal to the end of the current broadcast rights cycle, a move that could keep the rule in place through IPL 2027 and affect how players are developed for the national team.