Why are batters retiring out early in T20 cricket?

The sight of a batter trudging off the field before completing an innings used to signal injury or a personal emergency. In 2026, it increasingly signals cold-eyed strategy. Across the opening three weeks of January, eight tactical retirements have been recorded in men’s and women’s franchise leagues, igniting debate about whether the practice sits comfortably inside cricket’s moral code.

All eight instances occurred in the Big Bash League, Super Smash, SA20 and Women’s Premier League. Four of the retired batters were scoring at less than a run a ball, underlining the primary motive: acceleration. Coaches are removing struggling colleagues to allow faster scorers earlier access, or to engineer favourable match-ups against specific bowlers.

Northern Brave coach BJ Watling, who twice retired batters in a single match against the Volts last month, frames the decision as simple resource management. “All our players have the ability to win games of cricket and sometimes in certain situations it might suit someone else’s skillset,” Watling told The Post. “That’s what we weigh up as a team.”

England quick Tymal Mills argues the tactic should be stripped of sentiment. “You have to try and remove some of the emotion out of it and just focus on what’s the best thing to do for the team in that situation,” he told BBC Sport. Mills believes the stigma will fade once players accept the move is “nothing personal”.

Somerset all-rounder Tom Abell offers a caveat: the gamble does not always pay off. A new batter may consume precious deliveries adjusting to conditions, or fall immediately, undermining the intended momentum shift. Yet Abell still endorses the ploy as a legitimate tactical option rather than a breach of the spirit of cricket.

With leagues condoning the practice within the laws, expect more mid-innings departures—and more scrutiny of the line between innovation and gamesmanship.