'Don't like it': Axar Patel questions all-rounder's role with IPL Impact Player rule
Delhi Capitals skipper Axar Patel expressed his dislike for the Impact Player rule ahead of IPL 2026, believing it devalues all-rounders. He feels teams now prioritize specialist players, impacting his role. Despite a challenging bowling season in 2025 due to a finger injury, Axar had a strong batting performance, scoring significantly.
Ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026 season, Axar Patel has voiced his dissatisfaction with the Impact Player rule, admitting that he is personally not a fan of the regulation. The Delhi Capitals skipper believes the rule diminishes the value of all-rounders in the tournament, which begins on March 28. Introduced in 2023, the Impact Player rule allows teams to bring in a specialist batter or bowler as a substitute during a match.
Axar, however, feels this has altered team combinations significantly. "I don't like this rule, honestly, because I am an all-rounder. Earlier, you would pick an allrounder for batting and bowling.
"But because of this rule, the team management goes for a particular batsman or bowler, thinking 'Why do we need an allrounder? ' Since I am an allrounder, I don't like the rule. At the same time, rules are rules and we need to follow them.
From a personal point of view though, I don't like the rule," he said during a pre-season press conference. Delhi Capitals will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on April 1. This is not the first time Axar has raised concerns about the rule.