Australian legend Mark Taylor has made a startling statement about the shift in attitude among modern cricketers, particularly in T20 cricket, amidst the fearless batting in the ongoing IPL 2026. The way T20 cricket is played today has completely transformed the mindset of batters. In contrast to the traditional game, where patience and innings-building were considered crucial, the focus has now shifted towards attacking from ball one. Taylor believes that T20 cricket has become so drastically different that it almost feels like a separate sport. He reminisces about his own era, where protecting the wicket and staying at the crease for extended periods were top priorities. Players were taught to incrementally increase scoring, but today’s T20 cricket is a far cry from this. The emphasis is now on scoring quickly, taking risks, and maintaining a rapid pace, as evidenced by the focus shifting from ‘don’t get out’ to ‘score as fast as possible.’ Taylor also notes that if he had grown up in the modern era, he would have had to adapt to power-hitting and aggressive batting, as these are now the essential skills required in the modern game. Teams are winning matches by adopting fearless cricket, and, as a result, Taylor feels that the game has evolved into an entirely new sport. Mark Taylor expressed these views on the Turn it Up! show on Channel Nine’s Wide World of Sports YouTube channel, stating that while he may have been able to adjust to the shortest format, he believes that modern cricketers have to possess different skills, particularly in terms of hitting skills. He also confesses that if he had been playing in the same era, he would have definitely tried to hit the ball over mid-wicket. This comparison allows Taylor to highlight the stark difference between the game he grew up with and the modern version. As a result, he poses an interesting question – should T20s be considered cricket at all?