For the first time, Virat Kohli played as an Impact Player for RCB against LSG in IPL 2026 due to injury. His past criticism of the rule resurfaced, where he reportedly opposed the role, but Kohli still made an impact with a crucial 49, guiding RCB to a comfortable five-wicket win.
For the first time since the introduction of the Impact Player rule in IPL in 2023, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star batter Virat Kohli made a rare appearance as a designated substitute in the IPL 2026 clash against Lucknow Super Giants at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday, April 15.
Kohli was exempted from fielding against the LSG, but returned to bat as an Impact Player in the second inning, opening the chase and playing a fluent knock of 49 off 34 balls, 6 balls and a six, at a strike rate of 144.12, guiding the team to a five-wicket win while chasing down a 147-run target.
Kohli’s ankle injury from the previous match against the Mumbai Indians meant he was not fit enough to take the field, prompting the team management to use him as an Impact Player for the clash against the Lucknow Super Giants.
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Did Kohli’s Old Stance Take a U-Turn?
Virat Kohli has been one of the vocal critics of the Impact Player rule, having previously expressed his desire to play full cricket rather than playing as a substitute, even stating that he would rather “quit cricket” than feature in that role. The statement was not made by him, but by his former RCB teammate Swastik Chikara.
In an old interview with RevzSports, Chikara revealed Kohli’s firm stance on the Impact Player rule, stating that the RCB stalwart had made it clear that he would only play if fully fit and contribute in all aspects, adding that Kohli had remarked he would rather quit cricket than be used purely as an Impact Player.
“Virat bhaiya said, ‘As long as I play cricket, and as long as I’m fully fit, I won’t play as an Impact Player. I will play like a lion. I will field for the full 20 overs and then bat. The day I have to play as an Impact Player, I will quit cricket.’” Swastik Chikkara told RevzSports last year.
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Now, Kohli’s old stance has come into focus after he featured in RCB’s five-wicket win as an impact player against Lucknow Super Giants, though the move was driven by his injury situation rather than a deliberate change in his views on the rule.
In the match against the Mumbai Indians, Virat Kohli scored 50 but conceded 38 balls at a strike rate of 131.57 as he was seemingly getting going due to an ankle injury, which prevented him from fielding in the second innings.
Impact Player Rule Explained
The Impact Player was first introduced during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021/22 before it was implemented by the BCCI in the IPL 2023. Tushar Deshpande was the first player to be used as an Impact Player in the IPL, featuring for Chennai Super Kings during the 2023 season after the rule was officially introduced in the tournament.
The rule allows the teams to bring in a substitute during the match, enabling them to bring in a specialist batter or bowler based on match situations. Though it was brought to add tactical flexibility, the Impact Rule has often been debated, questioning its impact on the traditional all-round nature of the game.
The likes of Shubman Gill, Axar Patel. Rohit Sharma, Jos Buttler, Shane Watson, Keiron Pollard, and Kyle Jamieson have also expressed their views on the rule, with several players questioning its impact on all-rounders and the overall balance of the game.
Despite the criticism of Impact Player, the BCCI has continued with its implementation, viewing it as a move that enhances strategic depth and adds a new tactical dimension to the T20 format.
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