Graeme Smith has explained why the SA20 is unlikely to replicate the IPL’s Impact Player rule anytime soon.
“The Impact Player has its pros and cons”
Since the 2023 season, the IPL has had the Impact Player (a full substitute), essentially converting the cricket to 12-a-side contests. The SA20, which had started the same year and where all teams are owned by IPL franchises, has not shown any inclination towards adopting the concept.
Read: IPL 2026 – Complete list of Impact Players used in each match so far
In his column for Betway, former South Africa captain and Cricket South Africa director Smith clarified that the SA20 does not have plans to incorporate it: “The Impact Player rule has been a hot topic of conversation, and it certainly has its pros and cons. It introduces another local player into the game, so that’s a benefit for Indian talent getting exposed at the IPL level, but I think it takes a little bit of the nuance away from captaincy, and the all-rounders are getting upset because it means their roles are less pivotal.
“We’ve chosen to stay away from it at this early stage of the Betway SA20 because we’re trying to introduce a whole new audience to the game, and you also don’t want to complicate an already complicated sport for a new fan.
Play: The South African all-rounders quiz
“South African cricket found itself needing to develop all-rounders after having them in abundance with players like Lance Klusener, Shaun Pollock and Jacques Kallis. We’re now starting to see guys develop again, like Marco Jansen, who’s an incredible talent.”
The trinity of Klusener, Pollock, and Kallis had indeed played a role during South Africa’s stunning record in the late 1990s, particularly in ODIs. At the same time, it is worth a mention that the Impact Player has not really hindered the Indian all-rounders.
