New Lucknow Super Giants mentor Zaheer Khan wants the impact player rule persisted with the Indian Premier League and is of the view that former fast bowler works for the "improvement" of Indian cricket.
Zaheer was part of the Mumbai Indians' setup but took over as the team mentor of Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday, a post which was left vacant by the exit of incumbent India head coach Gautam Gambhir in late 2023.
"There has been a debate around the impact sub rule. I'm going on record to say that I'm all for it," Zaheer said after he was unveiled as mentor at its team owner's headquarters here.
The impact substitute rule, introduced in IPL 2023, has evoked mixed reactions.
While last season, Virat Kohli said it has disrupted the balance in the game, India skipper Rohit Sharma admitted that he wasn't "not a big fan of it."
During the meeting with the officials of the IPL teams and the BCCI held late in July, teams couldn't find a consensus on several other key points like continuing with the impact player rule with regard to going into the mega auction or not.
But the 45-year-old former Mumbai Indians player, and the franchise's director of cricket, insists the rule has given a huge boost to the young Indian players.
"It definitely provided a platform for a lot of uncapped Indian talents. It is something you will see in the mega auction when teams will be looking at them," he said.
That opportunity goes a very long way with improving Indian cricket on the whole. The time spent in match time, it's something you can't beat. That's the biggest plus.
"As far as all-rounders go, right now there is no space for a half all-rounder because of the impact sub rule. But if you are a genuine all-rounder, then no one can stop you. There is always going to be a value addition with ability with bat and ball," he added.
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