Changing Trends in Cricket: The Evolution of Cricket!

Cricket tries to adapt to changing needs of people and that’s why the sport has seen so much of changes in regards to rules, regulations, mode of playing and other issues. As the game gained popularity across Commonwealth Nations it became interesting with every change of trend and transition. The game became popular day by day and today it has reached a phase where it can give a complete thrilling experience to spectators. The current Twenty20 cricket has gained enough popularity because it gives players chances to play great shots and earn quick runs to score more in the limited over game.

Early Days of Test Match Cricket
Previously cricket was a long game and yet it was a satisfying game as the ball was hit in the Lord’s by players on fine morning. It was played for long and for nearly five-six days. This mode of game is still a charismatic play for old grandfathers who speak vehemently about the game and how then players used to play the game more naturally than show off today. But slowly the popularity of test cricket shaded with people becoming busy in day to day life and world changing at faster rate. Though the test cricket is still considered the real form of game and played among qualified nations, the limited overs game that emerged in the mid of 20th century snatched its charm.

The age of One Day Internationals and Limited Overs: The first ODI was played between Australia and England accidentally when rain interrupted the three days of a test match and the officials decided to cut short and limited the game to 40 overs per side to decide the winner. And the era of one day international started. The traditional white clothing was changed to colored clothing for the game. Later on with more sophistication the day and night matches were introduced when it was played during nights also under high power flood lights. Different strategies of the game were brought into force, rules change, and new trends came in regarding bowling, batting, out, fielding and etiquettes in the field.

The television relay of the game brought more dramatic changes to the game and in the late nineties the cricket relied a lot on modern technology, graphics, television and video prints to decide many decisions. Such footages and graphics helped to get more clear decisions regarding run-outs, dropped catches, rope line touch boundaries and others. Then there was the introduction of pinch hitting in the first 15 overs which was brought in by the Sri Lankans when they won the Cricket World Cup in 1996. Like the above mentioned changing trends in cricket there have been lots of changes that tool place in regards to batting rules, bowling rules, fielding rules in the game.

Present Day Twenty20: This is the latest version of the game and this is the game that can give you an outlandish six when the team requires 3 runs for one ball. The modern trend of cricket has been brought about by this mode of game where the cricketers get new things like free hits, stump hitting in case of ties and other measures to make this game more exciting and elating.

Summary: The sport cricket has seen many changes in regards to rules, regulations, mode of playing and other issues. As the game gained popularity across Commonwealth Nations it became interesting with every change of trend and transition. The game became popular day by day and today it has reached a phase where it can provide more entertainment than one day internationals.