Sachin Tendulkar suggests intriguing rule changes in T20 format, emphasising balance between bat and ball

While Sachin Tendulkar played T20 cricket at the backend of his illustrious career, he remained a formidable batter with impressive numbers in the Indian Premier League (IPL). A member of the Mumbai Indians’ squad that won the IPL for the first time in 2013, Tendulkar remains a mentor and an icon for the five-time champions, offering advice to talented players and helping them understand their game better.

Tendulkar recently suggested a few tweaks to the rules of T20 cricket. He hoped that the Impact Player rule should be removed, urging the stakeholders of the IPL to restore balance between bat and ball.

“ The impact player needs to go away. Uh, that is my personal opinion. I feel when in a T20 format, you just have to play 20 overs, and then you’re adding one more batter to that lineup where bowlers are already being challenged. I find that imbalance,” the Master Blaster opined at the ESPNcricinfo awards for the greatest international cricketers of the 21st century a night before the IPL 2026 final between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad.

His second suggestion was also in favour of the bowlers, as he said that the traditional six-over power play should be split up in an innings. The first four overs should be the mandatory batting power play, with two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. However, the fielding captain should be allowed to use the remaining two overs whenever he wants. Also, in these two overs, three fielders would be allowed outside the ring.

“The second one may be a suggestion that, uh, the power play of six overs with field restrictions, only two fielders allowed outside the ring. Let the first four overs be batter’s power play with same field restrictions, and post that, the remaining two power play overs should be determined by the fielding captain as and when he wants to take. But those two consecutive overs will also get one fielder extra outside the ring at any stage of the game. So, you know, you are able to control the game better. That’s my personal feeling,” Tendulkar suggested.

And one bowler should be allowed to bowl five overs: Tendulkar

Lastly, Tendulkar said that one bowler should be allowed to bowl a maximum of five overs. He said that the top batters are batting for the entirety of 20 overs on some occasions, and the best bowlers should also get a chance to make more of an impact.

“And one bowler should be allowed to bowl five overs. Five overs? Yes. Yeah. Because you would invariably, the best bowler of the side is gonna bowl that fifth over. Wouldn’t you wanna see that best bowler bowl more? Of course. Like, like, you know, the top batters are batting sometimes even 20 overs. Why shouldn’t the best bowler be bowling five overs?” the 53-year-old asked.