MUMBAI
Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has proposed a major rule change in T20 cricket, suggesting that bowlers should be allowed to bowl a fifth over as a reward for taking wickets during matches in the ongoing IPL 2026 season.
Gavaskar’s comments come amid an extraordinary run-fest in this year’s Indian Premier League, where batters have dominated attacks across venues. More than halfway through the tournament, teams have already registered 46 totals exceeding 200 runs, while both sides crossed the 200-mark in 20 matches.
According to Gavaskar, the current rules heavily favour batters and leave bowlers with very limited opportunities to influence matches consistently.
“The restriction of only four overs to a bowler could be looked at again,” Gavaskar said.
“If a batter can bat the entire 20 overs, why can’t a bowler who gets, say, three wickets in his four overs be allowed to bowl another over as a reward for getting those wickets?” he asked.
The former India captain believes such a rule would encourage attacking cricket from bowlers instead of defensive line-and-length strategies aimed merely at containing runs.
“This way teams will also try getting wickets instead of trying only to save runs being scored. After all, the best dot ball is the wicket-taking dot ball,” Gavaskar added.
The legendary opener pointed out that bowlers are already operating under several disadvantages in modern T20 cricket, including smaller boundaries and strict wide-ball interpretations for short-pitched deliveries.
“Everything is stacked against the bowlers,” Gavaskar observed, adding that providing captains greater flexibility with successful bowlers could help restore balance in the format.
Gavaskar also suggested that the proposed rule should first be tested in domestic and local tournaments before being considered at the IPL level. He recommended trying it in city-based competitions and eventually in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy before introducing it in future IPL seasons.
The idea has already sparked debate among fans and experts, with many agreeing that T20 cricket increasingly favours batters and leaves bowlers with little room for recovery once momentum shifts during an innings.