Photo via Hindustan Times

The madness of T20 is making the game richer, yet poorer

India’s top seven batters have unleashed a six-hitting frenzy in T20 cricket, smashing **1,214 sixes** across just **152 matches** between October 2021 and October 2026—a staggering surge compared to past cycles. In the five years before that (2016–2021), they hit **487 sixes** in **88 games**, while the 2011–2015 and 2006–2010 periods saw **118** and **138 sixes** respectively, in far fewer matches.

Yet this explosive T20 dominance comes at a cost: India’s Test batting average for the same top seven has plummeted from **45.98** in 2006–2010 to **37.68** in the latest cycle, mirroring a global decline where the average for the 12 Test nations now sits at just **34.48**. The India-West Indies T20 series alone produced **98 sixes in four matches**, raising questions about whether bowlers are now reduced to mere delivery machines in a format prioritizing brute force over technique.

Former India captain **Gautam Gambhir** highlighted the issue in 2024, noting how modern players often neglect fundamental skills like soft hands and rotation in favor of aggressive strokeplay, warning that the foundation of batting is eroding as quickly as boundaries are being cleared.

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