If the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) revolutionised T20 cricket by introducing the Indian Premier League (IPL), they are looking to take it one step further by bringing in the concept of Power Player in the next edition of the cash-rich league. Teams will be allowed to substitute a player at the fall of a wicket or at the end of an over at any point in the game. Speaking to IANS, a senior BCCI official said that the concept has already been approved, but will be discussed further in the IPL Governing Council meeting that will take place at the BCCI HQ in Mumbai on Tuesday. "We are looking at a scenario where a team will not name the Playing XI. They will announce the 15 and a player can be substituted at either the fall of a wicket or at the end of the over at any point in the game. While we are looking to introduce it in the IPL, trying the concept first in the upcoming Mushtaq Ali Trophy could be the ideal way forward," the official said. Explaining how the idea will actually change the game, the official said the concept has the capacity to change match situations and induce out-of-the-box thinking and strategising from the two teams and engage even the fans further. "Imagine you need 20 runs off the last six balls and you have Andre Russell sitting in the dug-out as he wasn't a hundred percent and wasn't part of the original XI. But now, he can just walk in and go slam-bang and win you the game. "Similarly, say you need to defend six runs off the last over and you have someone like a Jasprit Bumrah sitting in the dug-out. So, what does the captain do? Brings in Bumrah at the end of the 19th over and there you go. The concept has the potential to change the game," the official said. Apart from deliberating on this concept at the IPL GC on Tuesday, the members will also review the 2019 edition of the cash-rich league. The team will also discuss how to go about making the next edition of the league bigger and better when it comes to not just the game, but also fan engagement. https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cr...-substitutes-15-playing-11-1615302-2019-11-04
At the international level, this will make it much harder for weaker teams and associate members to rise in the ranks and be competitive. The proposed changes benefit teams with a lot of depth, where you have extremely good batsmen & bowlers fighting for a spot in the team. Teams like Afghanistan and West Indies are currently struggling to put 11 world class players on the field, a rule like this would make them even less competitive. Bangladesh has in recent years started becoming competitive - this would push them back. South Africa & Sri Lanka are currently struggling as well. For these reasons I'll be surprised if the proposed rule change makes it to the international arena. You'd be able to get away with it in domestic T20 championships because the pool of international and domestic players is so much bigger, but even so the rule change will reward teams with more money to burn on player salaries since they can afford to pay for more high ranking players.
It will only make the game more exciting, bring in more strategic depth to the game. I dont know why you think otherwise. Its about IPL and not International cricket. If its successful, nothing wrong in adopting it. Everybody used to say T20 will ruin cricket too. Why? Or just your bias?
I explained in my post why I think it’ll be bad for international cricket - perhaps read it again to see my concerns. I also pointed out in my post that such a proposal can work in domestic T20 competitions because the pool of players is larger.
Well it will destroy one of cricket's charm, that is the surprise of pitch. If the wicket is spinning, suddenly players will be replaced with spinners, same for fast bowlers. This is not soccer. Too much changes and modes and rules and complex stuff will keep limiting the audience of cricket and eventually will die. As far as T20 is concerned, it is exciting but it did ruin cricket, specifically test cricket. Neither players anymore want to play tests, nor the audience want to watch.
What surprise, nowadays countries just make pitch according to their own strengths and pitches are becoming more homogeneous due to artificial turf - Ask Australia. Haha, this will only make things interesting. I dont know why you watch cricket, I watch to see some excitment and powerplays. Cricket has to evolve to keep being popular. Anyway as this might be implemented in IPL, Indians would be able to enjoy the new format.
