Ajinkya Rahane has revealed that most Indian Premier League (IPL) captains opposed the Impact Player rule during a meeting last year, reigniting the debate over its influence on Indian cricket. The former Kolkata Knight Riders captain believes the regulation serves little purpose and should be scrapped to encourage teams to develop more all-rounders. Although reports in 2025 and 2026 suggested that several IPL captains were unhappy with the rule, Rahane’s comments offer confirmation from someone who attended the meeting. He also questioned whether the regulation would be removed before the next major squad overhaul.

Speaking to Cricbuzz, Ajinkya Rahane recalled the discussion and explained that the rule’s future remained uncertain. With the next mega auction expected in 2027 ahead of the IPL 2028 season, he believes the governing authorities have an opportunity to reconsider the regulation.

“I remember last year, before the IPL captains’ meeting, most of the captains said they don’t want the impact player rule,” Rahane said.He added that the existing guidelines were understood to remain in place until 2027, leaving uncertainty over whether the rule would be scrapped earlier or after the next mega auction. “But ideally, I feel there is no point or use in having an impact rule,” he added.

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One of Rahane’s biggest concerns is that the Impact Player rule reduces the incentive for franchises to develop players who can contribute with both bat and ball. Since teams can introduce an additional specialist batter or bowler during a match, they may have less need to rely on genuine all-rounders.

Rahane stressed that developing versatile players is particularly important for Indian cricket, where all-rounders provide balance and flexibility across formats. “All-rounders are going out of the game, especially in the IPL. And I am a firm believer that you’ve got to develop your all-rounders. From the Indian team’s point of view, all-rounders are really important. So the impact player rule should be taken out,” he said.

India’s reliance on Hardik Pandya has highlighted the importance of having quality alternatives who can contribute in both departments. During Pandya’s injury spells, players such as Shivam Dube and Nitish Kumar Reddy have been considered among the options, although they do not offer exactly the same combination of skills.

Rahane also believes the rule can make it easier for batting teams to recover from difficult positions. He pointed to instances from the previous IPL season when teams bounced back from scores around 90/7 or 100/7 to reach totals of 200.

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According to Rahane, having an additional batter available through the substitution can reduce the pressure on struggling batting line-ups and make it harder for bowlers to maintain their advantage. His comments have added fresh momentum to the debate over the Impact Player rule, with its effect on all-rounder development and the balance between bat and ball likely to remain important considerations ahead of future IPL seasons.