Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra feels the teams haven’t been guileful in their usage of the Impact Player amid IPL 2026. On Tuesday, Prasidh Krishna was used as an Impact Player against the Punjab Kings at New Chandigarh.

Chopra said Krishna should have been part of the playing XI as GT would not have been able to get him into the playing 12 if their batting had gone south.

Krishna almost turned the match on its head with his bowling performance, returning with figures of 3-29 in his four overs.

“I feel teams are unable to understand what they are doing. You saw Prasidh Krishna in the Impact Player list. I was wondering why he was in the Impact Player list because if something had gone wrong in batting, you wouldn’t have had Prasidh Krishna,” Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.

Similarly, Chopra reckons all-rounder Prashant Veer should have been part of the starting XI for CSK against the Rajasthan Royals. The renowned commentator said all-rounders should be preferred in the playing XI and CSK could have had Anshul Kamboj in the Impact Player list.

“Then you saw Prashant Veer in the impact player list. All-rounders should be in the XI. Anshul Kamboj could have been in the Impact Player list because they had Khaleel Ahmed, Matt Henry and Jamie Overton to bowl with the new ball. So your powerplay was sorted. You might have been able to use the Impact Player better had Prashant Veer been there,” he elaborated.

The former KKR player reckons the franchise are subbing out wrong players as they might need them in case of a Super Over. Mitchell Marsh was subbed out as LSG added Shahbaz Ahmed as Impact Player after the hosts found themselves stuttering at 105-6. Similarly, Jasprit Bumrah was subbed out against KKR to get SKY into the team.

“You are subbing players out as soon as their batting or bowling is over. Jacob Duffy and Jasprit Bumrah were subbed out. Travis Head was subbed out and Mitchell Marsh was subbed out yesterday. Mitchell Marsh batted very well, but he was subbed out in the first innings. Are you not thinking at all that a Super Over might happen?” he said.

“If it’s a Super Over, you won’t have Mitchell Marsh. Think a little whether this is right. Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran and Rishabh Pant, you want them. You have to prepare for double Super Over these days because that can also happen someday, and you won’t have your subbed-out players,” Chopra observed.

Lucknow Super Giants will next take on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, on Sunday.