IPL 2026: 5 Impact Players who truly made an impact

The 2026 season of the Indian Premier League has come to a close, with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru successfully defending their title after being the dominant team in the tournament.

The impact player rule, which came into play in 2023, has played a key role in team combinations. The 2026 season has seen multiple players step up and make vital contributions to their teams' successes. While teams, players and experts have been critical of the rule, it adds flexibility to the teams' combinations, allowing them to alter their balance accordingly. There have been players in multiple teams who have stepped up as regular impact players for their teams.

The Lucknow Super Giants took a massive punt on Josh Inglis despite availability concerns, which saw him released by the Punjab Kings. Inglis is highly rated in the T20 format due to his ability to score all around the wicket and take on spinners. The 31-year-old repaid the faith the team put in him, scoring 266 runs in five innings at a whopping strike rate of 186.01, slotting into the top of the order.

The Australian wicketkeeper-batter scored three half-centuries in the five games he has played, including a blistering 33-ball 85 against the Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk. He is LSG’s third-highest run-scorer of the season, behind Mitchell Marsh (563) and Rishabh Pant (312).