Bowlers to be allowed two bouncers per over in the IPL
IPL 2024 will allow bowlers to bowl two bouncers an over, from the previous one bouncer per over restriction, per the latest rule change. This change was tried and tested during the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
The move facilitates a more competitive and even battle between bat and ball, with the bowlers now being able to have one bouncer in the kitty even if they use one early in the over. While the players' safety mainly acted as a deterrent to having two bouncers per over, the suggestion has been floated for a long time and will finally come to fruition.
Meanwhile, the Impact Player rule introduced last season will remain for the upcoming IPL edition. Under this, a team had to provide a list of four substitutes at the toss in addition to the playing XI. Any one of the four subs can act as the Impact Player during the game.
Tushar Deshpande of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) was the first Impact Player in IPL history, replacing Ambati Rayudu during the season opener against Gujarat Titans (GT).
IPL 2024 is likely to be played between March 22 and the end of May, and the mini-auction will happen in Dubai on December 19.
"Two bouncers an over is very much useful" - Jaydev Unadkat
Saurashtra and Team India left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat welcomed the change from one to two bouncers per over and gave his two cents behind his elation.
The 32-year-old, who has played for numerous franchises, is listed at a base price of ₹ 50 lakh for the IPL 2024 auction.
"I do feel two bouncers an over is very much useful, and I feel it's one of those things which gives the bowler an added advantage over batsmen. Because, for example, if I bowl a slower bouncer… the batsman in the previous case is sure that there's no more bouncer coming. In this case, even if you bowl one slower bouncer in the first half of the over, you can still use one more [in the over]. Someone who is weak against bouncers will have to be better at it and then it will give the bowler one more weapon in their armoury," said Unadkat to ESPN Cricinfo.
The veteran pacer also felt the two-bouncer-per-over rule would benefit the bowlers during the death overs.
"Also in the death overs, you have one more option. So, it was becoming more of yorker-oriented [bowling] in death overs for fast bowlers. Nowiit can be yorker, slower ball and bouncers because of two bouncers an over. Even if you don't bowl the second bouncer, the batsman still has that expectation that the bowler might bowl the second bouncer," stated Unadkat.
Unadkat played for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) last season and went wicketless in three matches at an economy of over 11 runs per over.
In fact, since his breathtaking 24 wickets in the 2017 season, he has been underwhelming, with only 35 wickets in 47 games.