Explained: IPL new rule to allow Captains to change playing XI after Toss; unfair movement will be penalized

The upcoming season of the Indian Premier League is all set to begin on March 31, when the Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings will face each other in the tournament's opener at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

And just one week ahead of the start of the IPL 2023, the IPL governing council has implemented a new rule to make it more interesting. According to the reports from ESPN Cricinfo, the new rule suggests that the captains will be allowed to change their playing XI even after the toss.

Both captains will come out for the toss with two different sheets and will hand over the final sheet of their respective playing XI after the toss, which will allow them to know whether they are batting or bowling first. This rule will help the captains pick their best set of players on the basis of the conditions and pitch.

Furthermore, they will also give the names of players whom they can use as "impact player" during the game. Notably, this rule has come into play to lessen the effect of the toss on the match results and minimize the effect of dew on the match.

The IPL will become the second T20 franchise league after the SA 20 to allow the teams to pick their playing XI after the toss. In SA 20, a team needs to pick 13 players from the sheet to finalize the playing XI after the toss. Further, only four fielders will be allowed outside the inner ring as a penalty if the team does not complete any over in the given time.

Any unfair action by the fielder and wicketkeeper will result in a five-run penalty, and the delivery will be declared a dead ball. The upcoming season will be the first time in three seasons that teams will play with a home-and away format. Thus, fans can watch their teams play games on their home turf.