Karthik has voiced a clear demand that the Impact Player rule stay for the 2027 IPL, a move that could keep team plans intact and preserve the high‑scoring flavour the rule once brought.
He pointed out that the rule was introduced mid‑season and that removing it now would punish franchises that drafted 12 players with an extra specialist in mind. "Teams are built on a 12‑player formula, so pulling the rule out mid‑cycle would give an unfair edge to those who can only field 11," he told Cricbuzz.
Karthik also warned that the rule’s diminishing relevance has cost India a pipeline of all‑rounders. "It gave us a boost in runs but stunted our all‑rounder development," he said, recalling how the rule used to create more aggressive, high‑scoring games before it began to lose its charm.
The former wicket‑keeper insists the decision to alter the rule should be taken only after a full IPL cycle. He argued that a mid‑season tweak would undermine the very structure that teams rely on. "A rule should start at the beginning of a cycle and end at the end – that’s the only sense," he said.
On the road ahead, the IPL Board will weigh Karthik’s appeal against the league’s commercial interests. Whatever the outcome, teams will need to recalibrate their squad plans before the next season opens.