Whats New In IPL 2023? An Impact Player, Toss, Wider DRS Ambit

Cricket is about to introduce a new umpiring signal to the existing 20 or so. The umpires will be seen raising and crossing their arms to signal the introduction of the Impact Player, a new concept that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) claims "will add a new tactical and strategic dimension to the game" in the IPL 2023.

Combine this with the new toss rule, which allows captains to announce their XI after the coin toss, and the IPL's latest season will add a few new dimensions to the ever-evolving game of T20.

"We'll have to go through some permutations and see how it affects the balance of each side," says a team's head coach, claiming that the new rules will alter their cognitive abilities.

In a note announcing the new umpire signal and Impact Player rules, the BCCI stated that it "would maintain the IPL's position at the forefront of innovative cricket and continue the evolution of the T20 format."

According to the email that BCCI distributes to franchises, captains can select their XI after the toss, which was recently implemented in SA20. Previously, the captains were required to declare the XI prior to the toss. Another new regulation is the expansion of the DRS scope, which now includes no-balls and wide-balls. The playing conditions say that "a player may also be allowed to review any decision made by on-field umpires concerning wide or no ball."

The introduction of the Impact Player is the most significant development in this IPL. This is how the regulation will be applied. According to the BCCI, "the captain will nominate the impact player to the umpire, and the umpire will signal in the manner shown in the image above, indicating that the impact player is being introduced."

It goes on to say, "The impact player can be introduced (i) before the start of the innings; (ii) after the completion of an over; or (iii) in the case of a batter, at the fall of the wicket or the batter retiring at any time during the over (as provided in Clause 1.8 (iv) below)."

New Toss Rules

"Currently, captains must exchange teams before the toss; this has been changed to an immediate exchange of teams post-toss to enable teams to choose their best 11 depending on whether they are batting or bowling first; it will also assist teams in planning for the impact player," says the BCCI.

Each captain has two squad sheets with them.

(a) playing an XI with 5 substitutes if they bat first.

(b) playing an XI with 5 substitutes if they bowl first.

The captains will swap team sheets based on the result of the coin toss.

Impact Player Rules

At the time of the toss, teams must designate their starting XI and five substitutes. Only one of the substitutes listed on the squad sheet can be used as an impact player.

Each team is permitted to use one impact player per match. It is, however, not required. It is up to the teams whether or not to use the impact talent.

Importantly, a player who is replaced by an impact player ("replaced player") is no longer permitted to participate in the rest of the match and is also not permitted to return as a substitute fielder, according to the BCCI.

If a player is injured while playing mid-over, he cannot return to the game unless the team introduces an impact player to replace him. Otherwise, impact players can only be introduced in the above-mentioned way.

Only when a team lists fewer than four overseas players in the starting XI can an overseas player be used as an impact player. As an impact player, only an overseas player who is one of the five substitutes listed on the squad sheet may be used. If a team introduces an overseas player as an impact player in a match, no fifth overseas player may enter the field.

Only the captain can inform the on-field umpire or the fourth umpire of the introduction of the impact player at the fall of the wicket, the batter retiring at any time during the over, or the innings break.

After the Impact Player is introduced into the game, a player can bat and bowl a complete allotment of 4 overs in an uninterrupted inning.