The introduction of an 'Impact Player' in this edition of the Indian Premier League has added an extra dimension to captaining teams, which the Gujarat Titans' skipper Hardik Pandya feels only makes the job tougher.
The sheer number of available players to choose from in respective squads is what makes the 'Impact Player' rule all the more tricky.
For the first time in IPL's history, teams this season will be allowed to make a tactical substitution with an 'Impact Player' coming in to bat or bowl as needed.
Led by Pandya, Gujarat began their title defence with a five-wicket victory over four-times champions Chennai Super Kings in the season-opening match in Ahmedabad on Friday.
Chennai set Gujarat a target of 179 after Ruturaj Gaikwad scored a sensational 92, but his heroics went in vain as Shubman Gill's 63, combined with late cameos by Rashid Khan and Rahul Tewatia, helped the defending champions seal a win.
Chennai's Tushar Deshpande became the first Impact Player when he came in for Ambati Rayudu during their defence, while Gujarat's Sai Sudharsan replaced New Zealand's Kane Williamson and batted at no. 3 after he injured his knee while fielding.
"To be very honest, having this impact rule makes my job quite difficult because when you have too many options, you have to pick the right option, and I think because of this reason, someone will bowl less," Pandya said.
"I had to just pick and kind of back (my instinct), where I felt that going hard lengths was the plan for me, and it kind of worked, so yeah, some of the bowlers came late but they did the job for us."
Pandya also heaped praise on Afghanistan's Rashid, who was named the Player of the Match for bagging two wickets and hitting a four and six in his unbeaten 10-run display which played a crucial role in Gujarat's win.
1/10:Gujarat Titans beat Chennai Super Kings to win IPL 2023 opener
IANS
2/10:Gujarat Titans beat Chennai Super Kings
<p>Opener Shubman Gill smashed 63 as holders Gujarat Titans beat Chennai Super Kings by five wickets in the Indian Premier League opener in Ahmedabad on Friday. </p>AFP
3/10:Shubman Gill
<p>Chasing 179 for victory, Gujarat rode on Gill's 36-ball innings to achieve their target with four balls to spare. </p>AP
4/10:Ruturaj Gaikwad
<p>Hardik Pandya won the toss and elected to field first before Chennai opener Ruturaj Gaikwad smashed a flurry of boundaries in his 92 off 50 balls. </p>AFP
5/10:Ruturaj on the attack
<p>Ruturaj lost partners Moeen Ali (23) and Ben Stokes (7) but kept up the attack against the opposition bowlers. </p>AFP
6/10:Mohammed Shami
<p>But Mohammed Shami, who reached 100 IPL wickets, Rashid Khan and Alzarri Joseph took two wickets each to check the opposition scoring. </p>AFP
7/10:Kane Williamson
<p>Gujarat suffered a blow when Kane Williamson jarred his knee while attempting a catch at the boundary and limped off the ground. </p>AFP
8/10:Impact player rule
<p>Sai Sudharsan replaced Williamson under the new "impact player" rule after Chennai replaced Ambati Rayudu with Tushar Deshpande when they fielded. </p>ANI
9/10:Deshpande gets Gill
<p>Deshpande got the prized wicket of Gill after being hit for a six on the previous ball to boost Chennai's hopes of a turnaround. </p>AP
10/10:Unbeaten cameos
<p>But unbeaten cameos from Rashid Khan (10) and Rahul Tewatia (15) steered their team home.</p>AFP"When you have Rashid Khan in your team, it gives you a sigh of relief," Hardik said. "He can come and bowl and get you wickets and at the end of the day if you need some runs he'll come and smack it and make our job easy."
Chennai captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said the team should have set a bigger target.
"Another 15-20 runs would have been good. We all know there would be a little bit of dew," Dhoni explained. "We could have batted properly in the middle overs as opposed to trying to muscle the ball."
(With agency inputs)
