New Delhi, May 2 : Former India cricketers Cheteshwar Pujara and Sanjay Bangar believe IPL 2026 has redefined T20 batting, with unprecedented scoring rates and fearless intent turning it into the most explosive season in the tournamentâ??s history.

The numbers back that claim emphatically. After 35 matches, teams have scored at an overall run rate of 9.79, while the Powerplay scoring rate has surged to 10 â?? the highest ever in an IPL season. Batters are no longer easing into innings, with the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Priyansh Arya, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Prabhsimran Singh, Ishan Kishan and Devdutt Padikkal attacking from ball one.

Pujara believes this is more than just a statistical spike â?? it reflects a fundamental shift in batting philosophy. â??This season feels different because itâ??s not just one phase, itâ??s the entire batting approach thatâ??s evolved. Yes, the Impact Player rule has given teams the freedom to go harder for longer, but the sheer volume of 200-plus totals and, more importantly, how often theyâ??re being chased down is outstanding,â?? he told JioStar.

The overall increase in high scores has been emphasised by the large number of high scores recorded so far this season with 29 scores of over 200 already in 2022 compared to the same time four years ago when there were only 15 scores of over 200: and the frequency at which teams are chasing down these high targets: from the first 35 games played there have been 7 successful chases of over 200 including the remarkable chase of 265 by Punjab Kings in their win against Delhi

There have been so many successful chases of over 200 in this edition of the IPL that the record for the most successful chases of over 200 in any season has already been broken: we currently have 10 successful 200+ chases (by the Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royal) with more than half of the tournament still to go.

The increased aggression being seen this season is also borne out by other ways: the balls per boundary rate has been reduced to an all-time low of 4.5 for the entire duration of play; this reduces the number of balls per boundary to an incredible low of 3.8 during the powerplay period; 64% of the total runs scored this season have come from boundaries (also an all-time high); and FCs have already scored 10 sub 20-ball fifty's so far this season.

One of the players who has stood out due to his performance and has made an impact on the game is Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who has shared the record for the fastest fifty of the season (15 balls) with Abhishek Sharma and he has achieved that record on three occasions. Also, at 15 years of age, Vaibhav is the fastest striker of the ball (strike rate 238.09) of all the players that have played 8 or more innings in this season of the IPL, showing that he possesses the ability to play with the same level of fearlessness.

Highlighting the role of young batters, he added, â??Players like Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Priyansh Arya and Devdutt Padikkal are setting the tone with fearless intent, but itâ??s the collective mindset across teams that stands out. In todayâ??s game, itâ??s not about building an innings anymore; itâ??s about scoring as many runs in the least number of balls possible and hitting as many boundaries while doing that.â??

Bangar echoed the sentiment, pointing to a clear change in approach right from the start of an innings. â??This has easily been the most explosive TATA IPL season weâ??ve seen. The intent from ball one is on another level, especially in the Powerplay, where teams are no longer feeling their way in but going flat out,â?? he said.

He also emphasised how strike rate has become the defining metric in modern T20 cricket. â??You look at players like Abhishek Sharma or Vaibhav Suryavanshi, theyâ??re setting the tone straightaway and forcing bowlers onto the back foot. Strike rate is everything now, itâ??s the currency of T20 batting, and thatâ??s why averages have almost become irrelevant in T20 cricket,â?? Bangar noted.

Crediting conditions as well, he added, â??All this is possible because of great batting surfaces and great work by BCCI curators across the country.â??

/IANS