The Indian Premier League (IPL) is becoming more and more favourable for the batters year after year. In the last two IPL editions (2023 and 2024), we have seen so many records broke during the season, almost all of them in the batting front. From the highest scores, highest aggregate scores, highest run-rate, to most 200+ scores, 200+ scores being chased, we have seen the bar going higher year by year. Today, we will talk about the possible reasons why IPL is no more a balance between the bat and the ball. We will talk about the reasons why so many high scores are being scored in every season. So without wasting any time, let’s start.

Possible Reasons Why IPL Is Seeing A Rise in Scores Each Year

• The Impact Player Rule in IPL

Since the inception of the impact player rule, the scoring rate has gone up many folds. The impact player rule allows the team to bring in an extra batter in the playing XI. It gives teams firepower and the teams went after the bowlers freely, considering they have an extra batter waiting in the wings.

• Flat Pitches

T20 cricket nowadays is played on flat pitches. There are so many leagues around the world like IPL, BBL, PSL, SA20, The Hundred, BPL, etc. If you see the games in every T20 league, you will find that most of the pitches are flat. Flat pitches, fours and sixes, and high scores are a demand of today’s T20 cricket.

• Small Boundaries

Small Boundaries played an important role in scoring big. In the IPL, stadiums in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Dharamsala, etc has the small boundaries. In other grounds as well, there is not much a bigger boundaries which allows the batter to hit a six even if they didn’t connect the ball well.

ALSO READ: Team India’s WTC 2025-27 Fixtures

• Power-hitting Evolution

Due to the emergence of T20 cricket, power-hitting levels has gone way higher than it was in about 15 years back.

• Mindset of the Batters

Nowadays, the batters did not fear getting out. The fear of failure is not there with them. They want to utilise the powerplay each and every time. We have also seen the batters not holding back to play his shots even if his team lost a few quick wickets.

In the IPL, many of the youngsters are fearless and wants to take on the big international bowlers right from ball one.

• Better Bats and Equipment

Although the ICC (International Cricket Council) has made a restrictions on using customized bat to some extent, the bats in today’s time is way better than it was at the start. Today’s bat has more power and extra edge, and even if a batter didn’t connect the ball well, the ball goes way out of the ground because of the quality of the bats.

• Rules and Regulations

When a cricket game has started, there are rules that favors both, the batters and the bowlers. Nowadays, rules are more in favour of the batters. The impact player rule is a prime example of this. Fielding restrictions, the umpires stricter on wide and no-ball, etc are some of the rules that didn’t help the bowlers.

• Dew Factor in IPL

Dew factor is one of the major factor in bowlers going for runs. The dew didn’t allow the bowlers to grip the ball properly. Although the BCCI (Board of Control For Cricket in India) and the IPL Governing Council brings a new rule where two balls can be used if the ball is affect because of the dew, it remains interesting to see how much it will help the bowlers.

• Quality Overseas Batters

IPL is the only league where almost all the big players plays. No other league sees all the big international superstar featuring at the same time. It enhances the quality of the batting in the league. The big hitters like Travis Head, Phil Salt, Andre Russell, Tristan Stubbs, et clits up the batting with their hard-hitting ability.

ALSO READ: KKR IPL 2025 Squad SWOT Analysis

• Analysis and Match-ups

Teams uses data to analyse which bowler has a weak link against a particular batter. Pre-match analysis helps teams plan which bowlers to attack and which to play out.

So these are a few possible reasons regarding the high scores and run-rate in the Indian Premier League. Now let’s see some stats to prove these reasons.

Stat Comparison between the IPL 2023 and 2024

In the IPL 2023, we have seen the highest average first inning total is 183. It is the most for any season before 2023. The record boke in IPL 2024 and we can expect that to go more higher in the IPL 2025.

In the IPL 2023, we have seen 31 200+ totals in an inning., the most for any season. It went further up with 41 in the IPL 2024.

SRH scored the highest-ever total of the tournament (287) in 2024 season. They came close to beating that score in the IPL 2025 against Rajasthan Royals. We have also seen the highest successful chase of 262 in the 2024 edition.

You can check all the highest score of the 2024 season HERE

In the 2023 edition, the run-rate is 8.99, the most for any season. The IPL 2024 saw the run-rate going further up to 9.56. In the IPL 2024, the batters hit 1260 sixes, the most for any season. We can expect this record to be broken in the IPL 2025.

Will Records Be Broken This Season?

Well, the intent of the batters will be the same, we can expect the teams to prepare for this approach. The teams should prepare their bowlers to counter this approach, and no matter how much the batsmen keep smashing, how much more can they smash? We have already seen in the IPL 2025 season (for a short while) that the scores are getting lesser, obviously due to the pitches as well. But, like if you see the SRH vs DC game, SRH were restricted to just 163, trying to go hard. It is just one example, but we can expect the bowlers to prepare well for this batting approach.

CONCLUSION

In the IPL 2023’s PBKS vs LSG match, the aggregate runs were 458. The record goes past 458 five times in the IPL 2024. There are so many other records as well which says that the IPL is no more a balance between the bat and the ball. But what is the solution? Maybe the standard for the bowlers have changed now in the IPL. Before, if a bowler went for 25-30 runs in his 4 overs was considered good, now if a bowler went for 40 runs would be considered a good performance.

What are your views? Is it worth an IPL where so many runs being scored? Or Should you guys need a balance between the bat and the ball? Comment your opinion below. Thank you for reading. We hope you find it informative. Keep following us for the latest updates.