Shastri, Ashwin back Impact Player rule

Chennai: The “Impact Player” rule might have come in for sharp criticism in the ongoing IPL, but former India coach Ravi Shastri and senior

spinner Ravichandran Ashwin have backed it, stating that it leads to more close finishes.

The rule, implemented in the competition last season, has been a topic of debate this edition, with some experts and current players saying that it will make all-rounders redundant.

“When any new rule comes in, there will be people who will try to justify why that’s not right,” Shastri said.

“But with time, when you see the scores - 200 and 190 - and then, individuals grabbing that opportunity and making the most of it, people will start re-looking at how they think about it.”

Shastri vouched for the rule, saying that the game has to evolve with time.

“The Impact Player (rule) is good. You have to evolve with the times. It happens in other sports as well.

It’s got tighter finishes,” he said on Ashwin’s YouTube channel.

“I think it’s a good rule. You saw the number of tight finishes we had in last year’s IPL. So, it has made a big difference.”