Impact Player: 3 Flops And Hits Of IPL 2023 So Far

The Impact Player Strategy in the IPL 2023 has created a massive buzz – and it has been an anticipatory factor among those watching and commentating on it – in the first week of the tournament.

In every game so far, 8 matches till now, all the teams have made use of the Impact Player except for RCB who didn’t need extra batting in their chase against MI.

Teams are learning to utilize the Impact Player Rule more and in better ways. The Impact Player Rule and the rule of allowing captains to decide their playing XI after the result of the toss have created depth and an extra option in both bowling and batting departments for the teams.

Here are the 3 Flop Impact Players so far in IPL 2023:

Impact Player

Rishi Dhawan (PBKS vs KKR)

Rishi Dhawan

After batting first vs KKR, Punjab Kings introduced pacer and new-ball specialist Rishi as their Impact substitute. However, Rishi couldn’t make a positive impact: he for 15 runs in his only over and didn’t get bowl any more in that game.

PBKS skipper Shikhar Dhawan also failed to utilize Rishi’s new-ball skillset as he came to bowl in the 9th over of KKR’s innings.

Tushar Deshpande (CSK vs GT)

Tushar Deshpande

In the tournament opener vs GT in Ahmedabad, seamer Tushar became the first-ever Impact Substitute in the IPL. On a good batting surface, Deshpande leaked 51 runs in 3.2 overs – his economy of 15.3 the worst across both teams – and though he took the wicket of half-centurion Shubman Gill, he had conceded a bit too much in CSK’s defense of 179, which they failed to defend.

Jason Behrendorff (MI vs RCB)

In their game against RCB, batting first, MI made the rarely-seen move of naming only 3 overseas players in their starting XI. However, it was clear that MI would bring in Australian pacer Jason Behrendorff , who is known for his new-ball specialty, as their Impact Player when they bowl in the second innings.

That is what happened. But Jason Behrendorff was ineffective with conditions not in his favor at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, and bowling to two experienced, top-quality, and in-form batters in Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis. Behrendorff was smashed for 37 runs in 3 wicketless overs.

Here are the 3 Hits Impact Players so far in IPL 2023:

Vijay Shankar (GT vs DC)

Vijay Shankar

Carrying on from last season’s legacy, the Gujarat Titans continue to find players who win them games or make match-winning contributions. So, in their encounter against Delhi Capitals, while Sai Sudharsan played a terrific knock of 62* off 48 balls, it was the Impact Player Vijay Shankar, who’d come on for Josh Little, who made a significant impact as well, scoring 29 runs off 23 balls, sharing a crucial partnership of 53 (44) with Sudharsan in their chase of 163.

Dhruv Jurel (RR vs PBKS)

Dhruv Jurel

Dhruv Jurel’s first innings in the IPL was quite a thrilling one as he helped RR remain alive in their chase of 198 vs PBKS in Guwahati.

Coming in at number 8 as Impact Player, at the score of 124/6 in the 15th over, Dhruv Jurel smashed 32 unbeaten runs off only 15 balls, his swashbuckling knock containing 3 fours and 2 sixes to drag the game till the last over, but the youngster failed to complete the chase as RR lost by only 5 runs.

Some of Jurel’s shots were simply magnificent.

Krishnappa Gowtham (LSG vs DC)

When batting first in their first match against DC, LSG brought on K Gowtham as the Impact Player on the last ball of the innings. Being sent out to hammer the ball, Gowtham smashed a six.

He bowled impressively, returning with 4-0-23-0 in a high-scoring game that LSG won by 50 runs.