In a bold suggestion aimed at restoring equilibrium to the shortest format of the game, legendary former umpire Simon Taufel has proposed a significant rule change for T20 cricket. The Australian, renowned for his deep understanding of the game's laws, believes allowing one bowler to deliver a fifth over could help balance the increasingly batter-dominated contest.
The Core Proposal: A Fifth Over for a Frontline Bowler
Speaking in an interview, the 54-year-old Taufel outlined his vision for a more even contest. "I'd love to see in T20 cricket, one bowler bowl a fifth over," Taufel stated. He argued that while a batter can potentially bat through the entire 20-over innings and score a century, all bowlers are currently restricted to a maximum of four overs each. This limitation, he feels, unfairly tips the scales in favour of the batsmen.
"If a batter can be out there for the whole innings and score 100 from ball number one, we're limiting all the bowlers to four overs," Taufel explained. His suggestion is to grant one bowler from each side the opportunity to bowl an additional over. This, he believes, would provide captains with a strategic weapon to counter dominant batters and "try to even up a dominant batter versus a dominant bowler." Taufel confirmed he has presented this idea to several T20 leagues, though it has not yet been adopted.
Criticism of Modern Innovations: Impact Player and Timeouts
Beyond his fifth-over proposal, Simon Taufel also expressed his reservations about some of the newer innovations in franchise cricket. He specifically mentioned that he is not a fan of the Impact Player rule used in the Indian Premier League (IPL) or the similar Super Sub rule in the International League T20 (ILT20).
"Not all changes are good. Sometimes things aren't broken. And we go changing things just for the sake of a marketing gimmick, which, we've got to be careful in that space," Taufel cautioned. He emphasised his preference for the traditional core of the game, where 11 players truly take on 11.
"My core cricket tells me that I'd love to see 11 on 11. I'd love to see all-rounders, more all-rounders in the game," he said. He questioned the value of an Impact Player who might "only bat for two balls and doesn't field," arguing it dilutes the strategic essence of selecting a balanced team.
Rethinking Strategic Timeouts
Taufel also cast a critical eye on the strategic timeouts employed in tournaments like the IPL. He suggested that these enforced breaks, often seen as tools for broadcasting advertisements, disrupt the natural flow and momentum of the game. "The timeouts certainly break the momentum, and they do sort of cause that pregnant pause in the game. Maybe that deserves a bit of a rethink," he added, calling for a review of their implementation.
Simon Taufel's comments, made on January 3, 2026, highlight an ongoing debate in cricket circles about how to maintain the sport's integrity while embracing commercial and entertainment-driven changes. His advocacy for empowering bowlers and preserving traditional team dynamics offers a compelling counterpoint to the constant evolution of T20 regulations.
