NEW DELHI
Cricket legends Cheteshwar Pujara and Sanjay Bangar believe the 2026 IPL season has permanently changed the art of T20 batting. According to the veterans, the current tournament is the most explosive in history, driven by a new generation of players who prioritize aggressive scoring over traditional steady play.
The statistics from the first 35 matches are staggering. Teams are scoring at a record overall rate of nearly ten runs per over, with Powerplay scoring hitting an all-time high. Pujara noted that the “Impact Player” rule has given teams the confidence to attack without fear, leading to 29 totals over 200 so far. Even more impressive is how easily these massive targets are being chased down, with ten successful 200-plus chases already recorded.
Young stars like 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi and the explosive Abhishek Sharma are leading this charge. Suryavanshi, in particular, has stunned fans by hitting 15-ball half-centuries on three separate occasions. Bangar emphasized that in this high-speed era, a player’s strike rate has become the ultimate “currency,” making traditional batting averages almost irrelevant.
Both experts also credited the groundskeepers across India for preparing excellent batting surfaces that allow for such high-octane entertainment. “It’s not about building an innings anymore,” Pujara explained. “It’s about scoring as many runs in the fewest balls possible.” As the tournament passes its midpoint, this fearless philosophy shows no signs of slowing down, promising even more fireworks for fans.