IPL 2025: The introduction of the impact player rule in the IPL has divided the opinions of many veteran cricketers, but now the view of former Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has changed. Dhoni, who was once hesitant about the need for this rule, now considers it an important step for the development of T20 cricket. The 43-year-old Dhoni said that initially he was skeptical about this rule, but now he has started understanding its importance.
Dhoni’s initial view
Dhoni said in a conversation with Geo Star that when this rule was first implemented, he did not agree that there was any need for it. He said, “In some cases this rule has been helpful for me and in some cases not. But since I am the main wicketkeeper of the team, I do not consider myself an impact player.” Dhoni believes that it is not right to score big due to this rule. He believes that now the players are playing more comfortably, due to which the scores are increasing.
Dhoni has a different approach
After Dhoni’s statement, Indian Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma and all-rounder Hardik Pandya criticized the impact player rule. They say that this rule is affecting the role of all-rounders, as teams are now giving priority to aggressive batsmen. Dhoni has changed his opinion despite this. He believes that this rule gives teams the advantage of an extra batsman in difficult situations, but big scores cannot be made just by having an extra batsman.
Dhoni said, “It is completely a game of mentality. Now teams have got the confidence of an extra batsman, due to which they are playing more aggressively. This is part of the natural development of T20 cricket.” He also said that not all teams are using their four or five extra batsmen, but their presence itself is giving more confidence to the players, which is changing the course of the game.
Dhoni’s focus now is on the mentality of the game
According to Dhoni, the reason why any team is playing more aggressively in the IPL is due to this mindset. He also said that this change in cricket is natural and the contribution of such rules to the game is important. This reflects the continuous development of T20 cricket, where mindset and strategies have a prominent place. Dhoni believes that players are now playing with more confidence under pressure, which is also raising the level of the game.
CSK registers first win in IPL 2025
Chennai Super Kings have registered their first win in IPL 2025. In the match played on 23 March, Chennai defeated Mumbai Indians by 4 wickets. This match took place at MA Chidambaram Stadium. In this match, Dhoni played 2 balls but could not score any runs and returned unbeaten. However, the Chennai team won this match by making their presence felt and got a good start in the points table.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s changing attitude towards the Impact Player rule proves that something new happens in cricket every day and the players are also in the process of understanding this change. Dhoni’s statement indicates that mentality and strategy have a big impact in the world of T20 cricket. It is clear from Chennai Super Kings’ first win in IPL 2025 that the team has the full strength to reach the final this time too. Dhoni’s positive attitude towards this change not only reflects his experience but is also an important step for the development of cricket.
