The Indian Premier League's new rule of checking bats before the batters take guard has been a cause for concern for some players. 

Though aggressive batsmanship is not only a result of customised bats, it involves technique and strength, too; the move has seen batters getting into animated discussions with the umpire and parting with their favourite match bat.

Earlier, the officials would check bats on the eve of the match, but sometimes, players would turn up with a different bat on match day. 

Now, a triangle-shaped plastic gauge with the dimensions of a legal bat — depth 2.68 inches, width 4.33 inches, edges 1.61 inches — is being used to inspect the bats. The curve of the bat on the lower non-hitting side needs to be within 0.20 inches.

Kolkata Knight Riders' Sunil Narine and Anrich Nortje failed the bat gauge test, while the umpires took time to pass the bats of Andre Russell and Rajasthan Royals' Riyan Parag. 

Will the new rule help strike a balance between the bat and the ball in the bang-bang era of T20 cricket?

South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada, who represents Gujarat Titans, had voiced concern about the size of bats used in the tournament which allowed batters to even hit a yorker for a six.

Not just about bats, it's also the power

Swapnil Asnodkar, who played four years with Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and saw players such as Shane Watson, Matthew Hayden, Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum in their prime, feels bats alone don't contribute to big sixes. 

"The game has gone to a different level with range and power-hitting. The rule must have been framed after considering certain things. It is always fair to have a balance between the bat and the ball."

"It is also up to individuals. You cannot rule out the special ability of a batter. Some can time it, while some can muscle it. It depends on their bodies also. We have seen how Sourav Ganguly used to hit sixes. With players like Russell, it is all about power," Asnodkar, who was part of the Royals' IPL triumph in the inaugural edition, told Sportsboom.com.

Change in training pattern

Asnodkar, now a certified coach at the U-19 level at the Board of Control for Cricket in India's National Cricket Academy, highlighted a change in the training patterns. 

"Correct practice matters a lot. Earlier we were taught not to hit in the air but the trend has changed. As players develop, they naturally acquire the habit of hitting sixes. Practising correctly enhances their skills," said the former cricketer, who still remembers Hayden's mongoose willow and Gayle's "heavy" bat.

Amandeep Singh Kohar, managing director of Hound Cricket Gears, revealed that the bats in his factory follow the International Cricket Council guidelines, like others, and there has been no new directive for the ongoing IPL. 

"We follow ICC guidelines. I have written down all the points needed to fulfill the manufacturing mark. There are too many points, and we are trying to follow that," he reasoned.

Former T20 specialists such as Gayle and Dwayne Bravo have used Hound bats. The company has special edition willows modelled on Bravo, Narine and Akeal Hosein. 

This publication also reached out to Jatin Sareen, managing director of Sareen Sports, better known as SS, but he refused to comment. Narine and Parag currently use SS bats. 

It's concerning that legally manufactured bats are being scrutinised.