NEWS
Follow UsThe introduction of the Impact Player rule in the Indian Premier League (IPL) was to negate the toss advantage. However, this year, the rule has come under severe criticism because of the game going completely in favour of the batters, given how now teams have an extra batter at their disposal.
One of the critics is Australia’s Josh Hazlewood, who expressed that the high scores at this year’s IPL have been purely down to the impact player rule. "I think it's just purely down to that impact (rule)," Hazlewood told Cricket.com.au.
"Batting lineups just seem to be never-ending now. I'm not sure it's a great rule. The conditions have come into play a little bit lately with bowlers having a bit of impact, but I mean, you've got (batters) like Tim David at number eight, sometimes number nine,” he added.
The 33-year-old, who skipped this year’s cash-rich event, stated that there is no longer an incentive for the new ball bowlers to pick up wickets in the powerplay.
"You don't really feel like you attack and try and get wickets in the Powerplay because what's the point when you've got those guys coming in at those eight, nine spots? Obviously, the crowd loves it – there's 200-plus scores nearly every night – and it's good for batters, but it might need a bit of tinkering.”
Hazlewood made it clear as daylight that he isn’t keen on the rule coming to the international stage. "I'm certainly not (keen for it to be used elsewhere)."
While several teams have preferred to go towards fresh and young energy, Australia’s pace unit will comprise Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Hazlewood - three veterans of the game. Hazlewood insisted that the trio will learn a lot from the different experiences, and master it together at the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean this year.
"I think experience probably comes into play there. We (himself, Cummins, Starc) have obviously been around for quite a while now … learned from previous tours and you just keep arming your game better and better as you get older. You learn from different experiences along the way, and I guess you put that all together and try and master that, the older you get."
During his break away from the game, Hazlewood has got himself a lot of time to think and rework his skillset ahead of the global event. Yet at the same time, the 33-year-old has got himself a lot of time to recover from the fatigue of international cricket.
"I've diced it up a bit differently this break. I've kept going almost from New Zealand – had a few weeks off but just (having) light bowls, to keep the body moving, and keep the body conditioned, as opposed to having a longer break,” he added.
"It's all eyes on the West Indies now."
