From stat, cover drive to oblique shot, how much cricket has changed in last 30 years

It was the 90s. The economic condition of India was dire. There was only so much money left in the treasury that the work of the government could be run for a few more days only. Caught in the system of bureaucracy and government control, India faced not one but many challenges on the front of the economy. Caught in the vicious cycle of corruption and unemployment, the youth had no dreams.

But in the same era, there was a boy who was trying to prove on the international stage that India still has a lot to show. . This boy later became the ‘God of Cricket’ and the name was Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. 

In 1991  India mortgaged gold to Iran to revive the economy and from here it started flowing into India. Free economy also started.  India’s market was opened to foreigners.

While India was turning into a market, Sachin Tendulkar was emerging as a big  brand ambassador of this market. India, recovering from a period of despair, had a star named Sachin Tendulkar to show on international forums. 

Sachin’s magic was speaking headlong. The incident of setting fire to the stadium after his dismissal had become common. As soon as Sachin comes to the ground for batting, the beats get faster. As soon as the ball hit his bat, the sound of ‘tuck’ used to give relief. But not only India but cricket has also changed since that time. How much cricket has changed since that time and where has that passion disappeared.  

How the run rate increased, the score became rocket
In a village in UP, 10-15 people are watching IPL matches sitting in a room. Nearly 50 runs have been scored in 5 overs. But the cricket lovers sitting there feel that only 10 runs have been scored in the last over. The performance of their favorite team which is batting, the face of these youth looks as if the taste of their mouth has become astringent. Before the arrival of IPL, if the teams could score 50-60 runs in 15 overs, then it was believed that the opening has been great. IPL has completely changed cricket. For today’s cricket lovers, it doesn’t matter whether the four is coming from a stat drive or a cover drive.

If we look at the figures, runs have been scored at an average of 5.10 in ODI cricket. Whereas in 2021-22 this average became 5.02. Although this does not mean that the batting has slowed down. In fact, some rule changes are the reason for this. But if we go back a little further i.e. in 2015, runs were scored at an average of 5.50. At the same time, between 2007 and 2015, there has been an increase of 9.12 percent in the average of runs. However, between 1993 and 2005   this average was 16.97 percent. It is clear that the average of runs in ODI cricket has been increasing since the 90s. However, there has also been a shortfall during this period. 

400 runs in ODIs

The run average in ODI cricket has not increased since the 90s. It was not surprising. But no one even thought of scoring 400 runs in an innings. But in the year 2006, there was a match between Australia and South Africa in which the Kangaroos batting first scored 434 runs. But the surprising thing was that the African batsmen won the match by scoring 438 runs. On the other hand, on 17 June 2022, England scored 498 runs against Netherlands. That since the T20 match, the batsmen have been focusing more on scoring fast and not on spending time at the crease. There was a time when it was believed that the best batsman is the one who wins the match. The batting average in Tests has been below 30 runs. It has been 26.28 in the year 2018, which was the lowest in the last 30 years. Although one reason can be good bowling and pitch. It is not necessary that the low average in batting also proves to be the reason for the low strike rate.

If we look at the 90s, the average strike rate has gone from 40 to 50. In 2019, when the batting average fell to 29.34, the average strike rate increased to more than 50.

More matches are played

The biggest change in the world of cricket in 30 years is that now almost every team is playing through one or the other franchise. Along with this, the number of international cricket tournaments has also increased. In the year 2022, 301 international matches have been played. A major reason for this was the tournaments stopped due to Kovid-19.

Along with this, the number of Test playing countries has also increased. Teams have more match schedules in their calendar than in the 90s. Team India has played 50 international matches in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Whereas before the year 2005, the team has played more than 50 matches in a year only three times.

If these figures are linked to the players individually, then it is not that the players are playing more matches. Before the year 2014, many players have played more than 50 cricket matches in a year. Rahul Dravid in 1999, Mohammad Yusuf in 2000 and Mahendra Singh Dhoni in 2007 have played 50 matches.

In the year 2018, Afghanistan bowler Rashid Khan has played 83 matches. It also includes matches of the franchise. Although there was no franchise cricket in the 90s and 2000s. According to the data given in the Cricinfo website,  In the year 1993, Eoin Healy was such a player who played 53 matches in a calendar year. In which there were 27 matches which lasted for 4 or 5 days. And in the year 2022, Rashid Khan has played ODIs. Accordingly, Eoin Healy has spent more days in the field than Rashid Khan in terms of number of days. 

Longer careers of cricketers now

Like before, cricketers now have long careers. Especially near the bowlers. However, with the kind of competition and pressure to perform, maintaining fitness is a big challenge. But accordingly the level of facilities has also increased. Till 1993, only 2 players were included in the club of 10,000 runs in Test cricket, now their number is 14.

Talk about the bowlers, when Fred Truman retired in 1965, he had 300 wickets in his account. He believed that hardly anyone could break these records and those interested in cricket also agreed with his opinion. but By the year 2023 taking 300 wickets has now become a very small achievement. So far 17 bowlers have taken 400 wickets.

Many stars have come in the last 30 years
When India won the World Cup in 1983, there was a big change in cricket in Asia. Came. Earlier this game was dominated by West Indies, Australia and England. It was a different thing that the British won the World Cup many years before the Indians learned to play cricket. In 1983, Sri Lanka won the World Cup by defeating Australia.

From this 1983 many famous players came in Asia who ruled cricket at their respective times. Talking about India, there were players like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath. In its subsequent generation, players like Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are making their mark.

Pakistan Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Saeed Anwar, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Javed Miandad, Saeed Afridi and Shoaib Akhtar came.

Talk about Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya. Even today people search on YouTube to watch batting. Along with this, Arjuna Ranatunga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Kaluvitarana, Kumar Sangakkara,  There have been great batsmen like Aravinda de Silva. 

With this, the Bangladesh cricket team has also made its presence felt on the international stage several times.

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