Indian fans have an insatiable hunger for their legends. A glimpse of them on a TV screen is enough to make a stadium erupt, even if they aren’t in the starting XI. This raises an interesting possibility: what if these icons could keep extending their careers? Imagine MS Dhoni playing through 2027, or Virat Kohli Kohli and Rohit still headlining the IPL past 2030
This possibility has gained traction after a new rule was introduced by the Big Bash League (BBL), Australia’s premier domestic T20 competition.
They have come up with a term, Designated Batter (DB), which is not only sounding eerily similar to baseball’s Designated Hitter (DH), but is also similar in principle.
How are DH and DB the same?
A DH in baseball replaces a pitcher, who is traditionally considered a weak batter. The DH doesn’t pitch. The rule was first introduced in the American League of Major League Baseball (MLB) in 1973. The National League adopted it in 2022, after resisting it for decades on traditional grounds.
The DB was announced by the BBL on January 15 and will come into effect from the 2026–27 season onwards. Instead of replacing a bowler, though, the DB replaces a fielder.
If a team bats first, they can name a Designated Fielder (DF), who fields in place of the DB. Teams must declare their DB and DF before the start of the game. However, a team does not necessarily need to name a DB and DF, and can choose to play a standard playing XI as well.
How will this rule increase Dhoni, Kohli, and Rohit’s IPL careers?
The Indian Premier League (IPL) adapted the BBL’s X-factor rule and turned it into the Impact Player rule. However, the DB rule differs from the Impact Player in the sense that teams do not get to pick and choose from multiple substitutes. Instead, a batter must be directly designated as the DB before the match.
Unlike the Impact Player, the DB is a fixed role, not a situational substitution.
If both rules are combined in the future, teams would effectively have two substitution mechanisms, significantly easing the workload of specialist batters. This is how the Dhonis, Kohlis, and Rohits of cricket could extend their IPL playing careers.
One important clarification is that the Designated Fielder will not be allowed to bowl, although he can keep wickets.
DB to increase players’ longevity: Ponting
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting further strengthened the argument that the rule will increase players’ longevity, especially batters, by shielding them from injuries.
“Some of these guys might be at a stage of their career where they feel that they can’t make much of an impact. They also might be worried about picking up an injury while they’re in the field, which is another big part of it,” he was quoted as saying by Channel 7.
“We all want to be seeing the best players playing, so if this rule helps that and keeps the longevity up, then that’s great,” added the most successful Australian captain to have played the game.
Once the rule is tried and tested in the BBL, the IPL could consider adopting it. If that happens, fans may continue to see their favourite players don the jerseys of their favourite teams and play till ages unimaginable for elite athletes today.