Ian Chappell
I've learned over the years that no matter how good an idea is, it always has flaws.
As a result, there has been some disillusionment with the increasing amount of six hits in T20 matches, especially in the hugely successful IPL tournament.
Jackpots have increased dramatically. At the current pace, IPL 2024 will easily set a record for his number of sixes in a single match. England seamer and Punjab Kings captain Sam Curran highlighted the big hit, saying after his team's high-scoring win over Kolkata Knight Riders: “Cricket is turning into baseball, isn't it?” .
Many reasons have been cited for the significant increase in six hits. Among them were improved bats, short borders and night dews. Curran also highlighted the current training methods of the players, explaining that another reason for their improvement was that they were able to “hit the ball for longer periods of time.”
The current training regime highlights how batting has become a power game rather than the artistry of the past. It's no secret that training is part of professional cricket, but it's worth investigating the dramatic development of six hits. The IPL tournament plays a particularly important role.
IPL's popularity is here to stay and Karan says, “IPL is gaining popularity. “I think everyone wants to keep seeing the number six.”
There is no doubt that the younger generation, who grew up on the hard hitting and high scoring in T20 cricket, have embraced the IPL. And the older generation, who grew up with batting artistry and quality bowling spells, are often puzzled by parts of the modern game.
These are facts of life. The IPL (and other regimes) believe that revenue is important, so big hits and thrilling chases remain the attraction of the game, even as they continue to draw mass audiences.
In my youth, I enjoyed both cricket and baseball.If you're not going to face many deliveries in the short version of cricket and you play a lot of fields, the game loses a lot of its appeal
Nevertheless, a cricketing dilemma could arise if the T20 spectacle becomes boring. If management decides to shorten the game further, player loyalty will be severely tested. If players don't have much cricket experience other than being on the field often, a big contract won't mask major frustrations. Other than throwing the ball back, fielding doesn't really matter when it's raining sixes.
The increased growth of short-form games has been linked to the prohibitive costs of running top-tier competitions. The current five-day match, which favors India, Australia and England, is under immense strain, as strong first-class competition is essential for the development of Test cricketers.
Then there are also the financial benefits from the media to the cricket board. The short format of the game offers much greater financial rewards than elite competition. So guess what route the money-bound board will take.
As India, with its huge spending power, rules cricket, other countries tend to follow India's example. Therefore, his growth in T20 leagues in other countries mirrors his IPL success.
In many ways, one of the perceived failures of cricket turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the administrators. They could never have imagined the huge power they would concede, but the IPL auction brought huge monetary rewards to the players.
However, administrators now almost guarantee player loyalty, as players are not going to rebel against short game times if they are well compensated.
In my youth, I enjoyed both cricket and baseball. The game loses a lot of its appeal if you're going to play a lot of fields instead of facing a lot of deliveries in a shorter version of cricket. If so, I would like to play baseball where defense is essential, and I would be at bat at least a few times. In the short version of cricket, I often felt like I didn't earn my beer at the end of the match.
That is the opinion of the older generation. However, that way of thinking ignores the fact that modern regimes place far greater emphasis on market forces and financial interests than on the wishes of their players.
Former Australian captain Ian Chappell is a columnist.