India, April 14 -- When the Impact Player rule was introduced in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2023, it was essentially viewed as a tactical tool to add depth in the teams. Two years on, it seems to be serving another purpose. It has become a lifeline for those on the fringes of selection, offering them a shot at relevance and revival.

Take Karun Nair, for instance. A Test triple centurion in 2016, he wasn't exactly a preferred name in IPL for the last three years. Though he had stacked up the runs in domestic cricket even then, this year he had a standout season in which he amassed 779 runs in eight innings at an astonishing average of 389.50 in the one-day Vijay Hazare Trophy. He then finished with the second highest aggregate for...