Sachin Tendulkar analyzes IPL 2026 in detail and defends the new powerplay rule

Legendary Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar has shared his detailed assessment of the 2026 Indian Premier League season, hailing teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s impact on Rajasthan Royals while advocating a major rule change for the power-play tournament.

Taking to Reddit after the IPL season ended, Tendulkar reflected on some of the moments, players and tactical trends that caught his eye. The former India captain said Sooryavanshi’s influence goes beyond the number of runs he has scored, while suggesting that the traditional power-play be split into separate batting and bowling power-plays to add a new strategic dimension to T20 cricket.

“Watching cricket is a constant learning experience. In a tournament as long as the IPL, a few moments and performances usually stick with you. Even though I couldn’t catch every match this season, these are some of my observations,” Tendulkar wrote.

TENDULAKR REMARKS FROM IPL 2026

1. Josh Hazlewood’s fraud against Josi Buttler

Tendulkar singled out Jose Buttler’s dismissal of Josh Hazlewood in the first qualifier as one of the standout tactical moments of the season.

According to Tendulkar, Buttler had already hit the Australian pacer for a four, a six and another four before Hazlewood smartly reduced the pace by 10 kmph, catching the batters by surprise.

“What made the wicket special was how subtly he slowed the next delivery by 10km/h and Buttler was already through the shot before the ball reached him,” Tendulkar wrote.

2. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s impact went beyond runs

The legendary batsman reserved special praise for Rajasthan Royals teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, saying that it was only the youngster’s presence that made the difference in the matches.

Tendulkar noted that opposition teams were actively planning for Sooryavanshi and that fans were eagerly awaiting his arrival at the crease. He also praised the youngster for maintaining his aggressive intent during the Eliminator and Qualifier despite the increased pressure.

“More importantly, his batting gave Rajasthan Royals an added sense of belief every time he walked out into the middle,” Tendulkar said.

3. RCB has built an identity on shared responsibility

Tendulkar felt that Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s success this season was built on a culture of shared responsibility.

While praising captain Rajat Patidar’s leadership, he also pointed out that the captain created an environment where multiple players could consistently contribute.

“That balance between leadership and contribution was an important factor in their journey to another final,” Tendulkar noted.

4. Tendulkar suggests new power play rule

One of Tendulkar’s most notable observations was about the evolution of T20 tactics.

The batsman said many matches this season seemed to be decided in the middle overs, especially between overs 7 and 15, as teams became more adept at handling both power and death overs.

To address this trend, Tendulkar suggested dividing the power play into two separate phases.

“I feel the power play should be split into 2 parts. (First 4 overs as a power over from the bat and 2 overs as a bowling power over which can be used at any point in the innings),” he wrote.

“If implemented, it could become the most strategic phase of T20 cricket.”

5. The intrepid approach of the Punjab kings

Tendulkar also praised the Punjab Kings for bringing energy and positivity to the tournament.

He described their cricket as brave and game-changing, noting that the franchise focused on process in the first half of the season before becoming more result-oriented later in the competition.

“Ultimately, in such a fast-moving tournament, it boils down to processing and not sticking to results,” Tendulkar wrote.

6. The consistency of Gujarat Titans stands out

A final team-specific observation centered around Gujarat Titans, who were praised by Tendulkar for maintaining a remarkably consistent standard throughout the season.

He claimed that GT’s ability to stay true to their style of cricket regardless of results helped them avoid dramatic swings in performance.

“Over the course of a long tournament, this ability to control uncertainty often proves more valuable than occasional bursts of brilliance or isolated match-winning runs,” Tendulkar said.

Looking at the season as a whole, Tendulkar said IPL 2026 has shown once again that tournaments are rarely defined by their starts. He pointed to the way teams have adapted, players have improved and new solutions have emerged over the course of the competition as one of the most fascinating aspects of the league.

I think this is the right format for the story. The introduction brings in Sooryavanshi and the powerplay angles immediately and the rest reads almost like a curated list of Tendulkar’s observations, which suits the source material perfectly.

– The end

Issued by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

02 Jun 2026 21:24 IST