NEW DELHI:
Sourav Ganguly
, the director of cricket for the Delhi Capitals and a former captain of India, supports keeping the impact-player rule in place for the Indian Premier League but prefers that teams make their own decisions at the toss.
The impact-player rule has gained a lot of attention in the wake of the recent IPL season, in which 250 runs were scored more than eight times.
Ganguly went on to say that he hopes the boundaries would be pushed even further in future IPL tournaments.
"I like the impact player rule. My only thing with IPL is that I just want the grounds to be a bit bigger. The fences should go a little behind," Ganguly told the media on the sidelines of the International Procurement and Supply Chain Conference organised by the Blue Ocean Corporation in Mumbai.
"It is a great tournament. The only thing you can do with the impact player is decide before the toss, so it's a bit of skill there.
"So, have the impact player revealed before because that will require a lot of skill and game plan. But, I am all for the impact player," the former India skipper said.
Ganguly supported
Prithvi Shaw
, who had a poor IPL season this year, pointing out that he is still a young player still getting used to the shorter format.
"He (Prithvi Shaw) is a young kid. He is just 23. He is still learning how to play
T20 cricket
. He is a very fine talent and he will get better. Sometimes, we expect too much too early from everyone and I am sure Prithvi, with the skills he has, he will do well," he added.
Rishabh Pant
, a wicketkeeper-batter, had returned to his previous form, according to
Ganguly
, following his 2022 car accident.
"He was superb for us (DC) in the IPL. I was so happy to see the way he came back, because I have always said that he is a special player," Ganguly said.
"Even earlier, I have said that he is exceptional. You don't want such talent to be lost for such disastrous reasons (accident). He has really worked hard to get back to where he is and he is the Rishabh Pant of old."
Ganguly also hoped that India's wicketkeeper-batter,
Wriddhiman Saha
, would be selected by the Bengal selectors as he looks to return home from Tripura.
"He wants to play for Bengal and rightfully so. He is a Bengal boy," Ganguly said.
"He went away to Tripura for two years because he was playing there as a professional. He has finished that and he wants to be in Bengal. I am sure the selectors will pick him for Bengal.
"I am not involved in Bengal cricket at the moment. I didn't fight for the presidentship when I finished (my)
BCCI
(stint). I have just taken a break. Whatever the selectors and the officials decide, they will do," he added.
(With PTI inputs)
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