International cricket and viewer choice has seen a shift in interest in watching short-term instant sports entertainment from traditional five-day Test matches or even one-day matches.
Post Date – 11:40 PM, Wednesday – 07/06/23
International cricket and viewer choice has seen a shift in interest in watching short-term instant sports entertainment from traditional five-day Test matches or even one-day matches.
Vijay Mohan Raj
The end of the IPL is also the beginning of speculation about the future of cricket organized under the auspices of the ICC. A number of international cricketers announced they would not sign the contracts given to them by the board, making the option to play in franchise cricket tournaments relatively easy.
International cricket and viewer choice has seen a shift in interest in watching short-term instant sports entertainment from traditional five-day Test matches or even one-day matches.
I remember when the IPL was launched in 2008, there was a heated debate among members of the International Cricket Council, which resulted in the establishment of a “safety valve” to prevent traditional cricket from becoming irrelevant. As of now, all of these rules have been thrown out the window.
In the current circumstances, some international cricketers are considering early retirement to enable them to participate in the auction of franchise-based cricket tournaments in various ICC member countries. The game has opened up employment opportunities for players, coaches and support staff that pay better than traditional avenues.
Despite these changes, the evolution has trickled down to the grassroots, with beginners and potential future cricketers looking to develop skills for the modern version of the shorter format. This has led to an upgrade of several past coaching formats and manuals to accommodate wards’ involvement in the ‘instant cricket’ format.
With the huge growth in the audience and following of the shorter version of the game, the debate over the future and survival of the traditional format has intensified. With these, sponsors and businesses find great value in using the platform to promote their goods and services.
As a coach and player, I had to learn several aspects of the game to stay relevant. I think that the fountain of knowledge that provides the elixir of life to those who prepare players to perform in the modern form of cricket is constantly uplifting them and enabling their wards to acquire skills.
It is clear that cricket as a sport is on its way to infinite generations and will provide employment and business opportunities for different levels of goods and services. The country will undergo a revolution, a movement that will create jobs beyond the imagination of those in economic power.
Just imagine a future where there could be a separate department for cricket development headed by Union cabinet ministers.
– The author is a former Hyderabad and Mumbai Ranji cricketer
