3 teams that could use the Impact Player regularly in IPL 2023

IPL 2023 will begin in a few months and for the first time in the tournament's history, fans will get to see the 'Impact Player' rule. In all previous seasons, the teams had to name a playing XI for a match and only those 11 players were allowed to bat and bowl in the game.

However, the new Impact Player rule will change things in IPL 2023. This rule allows teams to play with 12 players. During the toss, the team will have to name their playing XI and four additional substitutes, one of whom can be picked as the Impact Player during the match.

The Impact Player can replace any player in the team's playing XI and participate fully in the game. He can bat at any position for the team and bowl four overs as well.

Fans should note that if a team names four overseas players in their playing XI, then they can only use an Indian as an Impact Player. If a team wants to use a foreigner as an Impact Player, then they will have to name three or fewer overseas players in their playing XI.

This rule will benefit teams that lack all-rounders because they can use seven specialist batters and five specialist bowlers if they want. Here are the three teams that could use the Impact Player rule regularly in IPL 2023.

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#1. Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan Royals only have five all-rounders in the team (Image: IPLT20.com)

Last season's runners-up Rajasthan Royals had a perfect set of specialist batters and specialist bowlers in IPL 2022. However, their all-rounders' department was not very reliable. Riyan Parag and Ravichandran Ashwin were the top two all-rounders in the team.

RR roped in three all-rounders, namely Jason Holder, Akash Vashisth and Abdul Basith, at the IPL 2023 Auction. Holder is likely to receive a place in the team's first-choice playing XI, but if he struggles to get going, the Royals will have to rely on the Impact Player rule.

Rajasthan can use players like Murugan Ashwin, Navdeep Saini, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal as an Impact Player depending on the match situation.

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#2. Delhi Capitals

Delhi Capitals also have five all-rounders in their IPL 2023 squad. They retained Axar Patel, Vicky Ostwal, Mitchell Marsh, Ripal Patel and Lalit Yadav before the auction. DC went all out for Cameron Green at the auction but failed to outbid Mumbai Indians.

Nevertheless, DC will be satisfied with the squad that they have for IPL 2023 as the Impact Player rule will allow them to use talents like Chetan Sakariya, Yash Dhull, Sarfaraz Khan, Praveen Dubey and Kamlesh Nagarkoti — five players who warmed the benches in a majority of the matches last season.

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#3. Gujarat Titans

Defending champions Gujarat Titans have five all-rounders, namely Hardik Pandya, Odean Smith, Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar and Rashid Khan, in their squad. They have a lot of depth in their bowling unit, which is why they can use the Impact Player rule regularly to give players like R Sai Kishore, Sai Sudharsan, Pradeep Sangwan and Jayant Yadav more opportunities.