The impact player rule has given him "nightmares", but Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting is happy for the IPL to retain it if it makes the tournament a "better spectacle".
"I can answer it two ways," Ponting told ESPNcricinfo on April 16, the day after Sunrisers Hyderabad made 287 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru to break their own record for the highest IPL total, set earlier this season.
From a coaching perspective, Ponting admitted that he wasn't too keen on the impact player rule, introduced by the IPL for the 2023 season, which allows a team to field a 12th player as a tactical replacement. While the move was welcomed by captains, coaches, and players in its inaugural season last year, there have been voices of opposition this year. Among them is India captain Rohit Sharma, who has led Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles.
Speaking to the Club Prairie Fire podcast, co-hosted by Adam Gilchrist and Michael Vaughan, this week, Rohit said he was "not a big fan" of the impact player, mainly because it was detrimental to the development of all-rounders, especially in India.
Ponting was in agreement with Rohit that it would be an easier job for a coach if he only had to pick the best XI:
"From a player's point and a coach's point of view, the game would be much easier if you just pick 11, just pick your best 11 and put the 11 in the park and go and play. Because I'll tell you now, we'll sit back after training tonight and select our teams and you've got to pick two teams and you've got to have your five impact guys. There are so many different ways you can go around doing that, looking at different combinations. It actually can be a bit of a nightmare."
The impact player has helped teams, especially those loaded with power-hitters like Sunrisers and Kolkata Knight Riders, bat explosively in all three phases this season, scoring more than 250 on more than one occasion. A total of 549 runs were scored in a batting gala in Bengaluru, where RCB lost to Sunrisers by 25 runs.
Ponting, who was busy overseeing the Capitals' training session at Motera on Monday evening, was informed by his son Fletcher that Sunrisers had posted 287 in Bengaluru on the back of a blistering century by Travis Head.
Later in the evening, Ponting received several messages from friends marvelling at the number of records broken in Bengaluru, including the record for most sixes in a team innings:
"It looks to me like [the Impact Player is] having an impact on the game. More runs are being scored. So you'd think people who were sitting back and watching that game last night would be mesmerised by the cricket. I was getting messages last night saying what a crazy game of cricket, what an unbelievable game of cricket. So if the Impact Player is making it a better spectacle, then it should stay."