MUMBAI: The relentless flow of high totals in IPL 2026\u2014where batters are routinely finding boundaries in abundance and chases of 200-plus are being handled with ease\u2014has sparked fresh concern from former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar. Speaking in the wake of another batting-heavy display, Vengsarkar pointed to how the current balance of power is tilting heavily toward hitters and is making life increasingly difficult for bowlers.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Sunrisers Hyderabad piled up 242 for the loss of two wickets in their 20 overs, powered by a breathtaking innings from opener Abhishek Sharma. Sharma struck 135 not out off only 68 deliveries, underscoring the scale of scoring that has become common in the tournament.<\/p>\n
Vengsarkar said the trend could eventually discourage young players from choosing bowling as a career. \u201cIf batters keep dominating bowlers in this way\u2014hitting fours and sixes at will\u2014then no one would want to become a bowler. Since I run multiple cricket academies, I can share that many parents today don\u2019t want their children to bowl. Most of them want them to become batters. I don\u2019t think that\u2019s a healthy direction,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\n
The former India skipper also suggested a practical way to restore contest between bat and ball. \u201cThe tournament management should consider moving the boundaries back\u2014perhaps by about 10 yards\u2014to give bowlers a better chance. With the quality of modern bats also improving, pushing the ropes further away could help bring the game back closer to balance and help bowlers become more relevant again,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Alongside his comments on the on-field trends, Vengsarkar urged Mumbai\u2019s young cricketers to keep their focus on representing the city with pride. He described the IPL as an important format, but stressed that the foundation must remain rooted in playing \u201cfor Mumbai to win.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMumbai has a strong cricketing structure,\u201d Vengsarkar said, highlighting the Harris Shield and Giles Shield, along with other age-group and collegiate competitions that have long acted as a pipeline for Mumbai cricket. \u201cOver the years, it has produced tremendous talent\u2014the kind that becomes the future for Mumbai and for Indian cricket. I hope all of you play for India. And yes, you also play in the IPL, because it is an important format\u2014but I\u2019m not saying don\u2019t play there. I\u2019m saying: play for Mumbai to win,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n
Mumbai and Chennai Super Kings opener Ayush Mhatre, who was honoured by the Mumbai Cricket Association for captaining India to Under-19 World Cup glory earlier this year, also spoke about his journey. He said the MCA had given him an early opportunity through the Irani Cup.<\/p>\n
Mhatre noted: \u201cThe MCA gave me my debut in the Irani Cup match (when I was 17, during Mumbai versus Rest of India at Lucknow in October 2024). So a special thanks to the MCA for backing me at such a young age and for supporting our Under-19 World Cup win.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reflecting on his development, the opener added that honing his batting in Mumbai\u2019s maidans prepared him for higher levels. \u201cBatting in the maidans of Mumbai is tough. The pitches there are more challenging, whereas at the upper levels the surfaces are better. Practising in the maidans helped me once I reached higher competition. I especially enjoy playing at Cross Maidan, Shivaji Park, and Oval Maidan\u2014those grounds have helped me a great deal,\u201d Mhatre said.<\/p>\n
In the awards segment, former India women\u2019s team player Shobha Pandit and ex-India men\u2019s wicketkeeper Chandu Patankar were presented with Rs 10 lakh by the MCA. Both were named recipients of the \u2018Lifetime Achievement Award\u2019 in the \u2018Cricketer\u2019 category.<\/p>\n
Pandit, in particular, is remembered for her role as the opener in India\u2019s inaugural women\u2019s Test match in October-November 1976. The MCA also recognised three additional award winners, handing out Rs 10 lakh to each of them across other categories.<\/p>\n
MCA president Ajinkya Naik said, \u201cThe MCA has been a trailblazer in initiating many things, including introducing the annual retainership for its players.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stay updated with the latest IPL live score, IPL news, and schedule coverage, along with tracking the race for the Orange Cap and Purple Cap.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MUMBAI: The relentless flow of high totals in IPL 2026\u2014where batters are routinely finding boundaries in abundance and chases of 200-plus are being handled with…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4634,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"Vengsarkar Calls for IPL Rule Change as Batters Dominate","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"IPL 2026 is turning into a hitter\u2019s paradise, and Dilip Vengsarkar wants rule changes after boundary-heavy batting keeps punishing bowlers.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4635","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n