Cricket is among the oldest of the major sports. It enjoys enormous worldwide audiences, and, in several major countries, it’s the dominant sport. However, the game has evolved considerably to meet the demands of modern players and audiences. Some purists might baulk at these changes, but the fact is that the sport has always been changing.
Let’s take a look at some of the major trends in modern cricket.
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The Rise of Shorter Formats: T20 and The Hundred
Not everyone has the patience for sporting events that extend over several days. In order to draw in larger audiences, and appeal to new fans, cricketing authorities have developed shorter formats like Twenty20 (T20), and ‘The Hundred’.
Both formats have been a commercial success, and helped the sport to broaden its appeal. More interestingly, they’ve also forced players and teams to adopt new playing styles and strategies. Both bowlers and batters have become more aggressive, which often makes for a more exciting – or at least, more approachable – spectacle.
Advances in Technology and Player Performance
Like every other sport, cricket has benefited from an increasingly data-driven approach to tactics, training, and nutrition. Teams are now much more methodical than they once were, and the decisions made by coaches and players are increasingly informed by large, abstract datasets.
Technology is also involved in how the game is officiated. Ball-tracking technology and Hawk-Eye are increasingly used to track the trajectory of balls and determine whether or not a bat really made contact with the ball. In this particular case, cameras can be used to analyse the spin of the ball and how it changes, and small microphones can be used to detect contact.
The Changing Role of Fitness and Athleticism
Modern cricket is much more competitive than previous iterations of the sport. This has helped to drive up levels of fitness and athleticism among the competitors. A batter that can run faster, and fielders that can make dramatic diving catches, will put a cricket team at a distinct advantage.
Modern cricketers are also expected to play in diverse conditions, and they need to be physically prepared for the challenges.
Innovations in Equipment Design
Of course, cricket is a sport that naturally relies on the equipment being used. Helmets, clothing, and balls have all been refined over the years, with the result that modern equipment is very different from that of years gone by.
These changes are obvious in the case of cricket bats. Thanks to improvements in materials and manufacturing, modern cricket bats are lighter, tougher, and easier to handle. This has helped to change the way that batsmen approach the game.
The Globalisation of Cricket
Cricket was once restricted to a few counties in England. Now, it’s a global sporting powerhouse. The demand for the sport across the world is such that franchise leagues have popped up in various countries. The Indian Premier League and Bish Bash League are probably the most notable examples.
The emergence of these leagues, and the money pouring into them, has allowed cricket stars to travel the world and compete against one another in a way that wasn’t viable before.
The Impact of Commercialisation and Media
Finally, we should consider the effect that mass media and the internet have had in promoting and broadcasting the sport. These things have helped more people to see cricket than ever before, which has led to more money for the sport.
