BCCI plans to bring out an all-new 'game-changing' concept for IPL: reports

Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has radically transformed the way that people perceive cricket in India with the introduction of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008.

With the addition of the new game-changing concept of ‘Power Player’, BCCI will be taking the franchise to a whole another level. The concept of ‘Power Player’ deals with substitution. According to it, 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.

The official said, “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 went on to state how exactly this new concept will impact the game and how exactly the games will depend entirely on strategies and though-processing. The official stated, “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 per cent 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 added.