'T20 is Not Cricket': Mark Taylor Slams Modern Format, Explains Why

Mark Taylor, former Australian captain, has reignited a debate after suggesting that T20 cricket should not be known as cricket. According to the former, now 61, the shortest form of the game has strayed so far from the fundamentals of how the game was born.

Appearing on Channel Nine's Wide World of Sports' Turn it Up! Taylor spoke about how the nature of batting has evolved. He said that during his era, it was about occupation of the crease, it was about survival, and it was about getting value from your wicket, whereas today, T20 is now entirely about whacking the ball as far as you possibly can at every opportunity, and at what risk.

Taylor himself, was a great man of 104 Test matches, and was revered for his solid technique and his ability to bat for a long time. Today he said that T20 cricket is not the way things are now.

'Batting was about staying in' - Taylor explains his theory

Taylor shared that he learned a very different kind of cricket in New South Wales growing up, one which emphasizes staying at the crease:

On adjusting to the batting demands of T20 cricket, Taylor said:

“I’d love to say yes. Look, I think if that had been the game I was brought up on, I would’ve had to. There is a certain amount of skill, different skills nowadays, it is more about hitting skills. If that was the game I had to play as I was developing as a cricket, sure, I would have tried to whack the ball over midwicket. The game I learnt in New South Wales was about staying in. Don’t get out and then you might be able to score some runs.”

He mentioned that in those days, batters were required to construct their innings and get value out of the risk of losing their wicket as much as possible.

'T20 is a Different Game' - Debate Over Format Grows

Taylor opines that T20 cricket has led to a mental shift among players. He said that the fear of getting dismissed is less, players are batting with the goal of scoring as quickly as they can.

He added:

“T20 cricket, it’s the same number of players (but) it’s a different game. It almost shouldn’t be called cricket because it’s a different game. It’s the same number of players, it’s still 10 dismissals and you have to bowl a side out, but you’ve only got 20 overs to bat. You are taking out the accountability of getting out, which was the essence of batting when I was a kid."

His words come at a time when the scoring rates in T20 cricket have shot up significantly. Scores over 200 are very common in the IPL 2026 season, many batsmen consistently maintain a strike rate over 150 with some even crossing 200.

The statistics are a clear indication that the game has become much more aggressive than it was in the initial years. While the fans have embraced the rapid run-scoring and hitting of sixes, opinions like Taylor's serve to highlight the expanding divide between the game and traditional cricket.