Daijiworld Media Network - Melbourne

Melbourne, Jan 3: Former elite umpire Simon Taufel has proposed a potential rule tweak for T20 cricket, suggesting that one bowler be allowed to deliver five overs instead of the current four, to restore balance between bat and ball.

Taufel, speaking to Cricbuzz, said the idea stems from the recent trend in T20s where the format increasingly favours batters. “If a batter can be out there for the whole innings and score 100 from ball number one, we are limiting all the bowlers to four overs,” he explained. Allowing one bowler a fifth over, he added, could introduce new strategies and excitement to the game.

The former umpire also shared his views on other T20 innovations, stating he is not in favour of the Indian Premier League’s Impact Player rule. “Not all changes are good. Sometimes things are not broken, and we go changing them just for the sake of a marketing gimmick,” he said.

However, Taufel welcomed certain modern adjustments, like the switch hit, which he believes allow players and captains to express themselves creatively. He emphasised that his suggestions have been made to a few leagues globally but are yet to be considered seriously.