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Known for its on-and-off-the-field high-voltage drama, the second edition of the Indian Premier League seems to have soared heights due to its off-field theatricals rather than on-field excitement even before the tournament has started.

Among all the hullabaloo, the word cricket seems to have gone into oblivion. Nonetheless, thanks to the maverick John Buchanan and his glass-breaking theory of having four captains to lead a team, the print and electronic media are getting loads of newsprint and sound bytes. Known for the experimental techniques he has always preached as a coach, the Aussie perhaps goes overboard sometime. However, it will be foolhardy to discount the role of new technologies introduced in the last ten years that has given cricket a new dimension. Neither can one deny the pivotal role of new-age technology that has helped the likes of Buchanans and Chappell to blow their trumpets, a little undiplomatically sometimes.

Reaping Benefits
While it needs someone like Shane Warne, who single-handedly make champions out of underdogs, la the Rajasthan Royals, technology has become that magic wand that can create diamonds out of stones. Warne has gone on record saying that cricket is played on the 22 yards and not on laptops. Technology is, however, an additional edge, a tool to improvise and its up to the stakeholders of the game to utilize it for maximum benefit. No wonder that Indian cricket has advanced a lot and is today keen to reap the benefits of modern-day tech tools. Technology offers a team solutions for coaching, game strategies, performance analysis, analyzing opposition game tactics, etal.

Deepite Wannes contention that cricket is played over the 22 yards, and not on laptops: Rajasthan Royals is going strong on tech adoption

Taking a cue, IPL is leaving no stone unturned to use technology whole-heartedly its eight teams. And the teams are for taking full advantage of online and mobile technologies for the aggressive promotional activities that they are indulging in. When it comes to the use of cricketing technology, the franchisees are largely following the guidelines set by the BCCI and IPL. Sports Mechanics is one of the largest sports technology vendor that the BCCI works with. Out of the eight IPL franchisees, Sports Mechanics has partnered with six teams including, Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Daredevils, Hyderabad Deccan Chargers, Kings XI Punjab, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians as their official sports technology partner.

Cric-Info
The introduction of Video Analysis solutions in cricket has helped revolutionize the way it is being played. Developed on multimedia platform, these applications are irreplaceable in depicting all the actions and creating various analytical graphs and visual illustrations based on that. Video analysis of the game or player movement has today evolved as an essential tool for learning and analyzing mistakes and plan for required corrective measures. Its an important element in modern-day cricket learning and the combination of data, video and graphical feedbacks help players to acquire new skills and techniques creating immense impact on their performance. The integrated use of video cameras and IT to develop various sports analytical tools and applications has helped the international cricketing bodies to reform the way cricket coaching was done before.

IPL Tech
As organizers wanted it to be, IPL is no less than a grand carnival. Add names like SRK, Preity Zinta, Vijay Mallya, Washington Redskins, and it only indicates the larger-than-life image of the journey. As SRK puts it in defense of his revolutionary coach, Twenty20 is a new format and new ideas should be tried, one has to admit the efforts of the IPL franchisees in implementing cutting-edge technologies.

Innovations like pitch map help bowlers improve their line and length in a T20 environment	Multiple captains might be Buchanans googly for Ganguly, but he had brought in a number of tech innovations too

Competition is ripe among the teams to device innovative ideas and marketing techniques to attract their fans and increase team visibility. A lot of focus is being given to online and mobile activities. However, when it comes to implementing tech tools in the coaching methodologies, each IPL team is equally active as nobody wants to lose since the stakes are very high. As Sports Mechanics takes charge of doing the job for the six IPL teams, it ensures to work closely with the teams to understand their requirements and provide customized solutions. We ensure to leverage on the cutting-edge technology. The applications provided by us help the teams to prepare in a better manner for the matches, says Subramanian Ramakrishnan, CEO of Sports Mechanics.

Since the IPL teams play in a tight schedule, it is very important for them to access all relevant data and reports on team and individual player performance as well as those of the oppositions in real-time. While Multimedia plays a vital role in developing the applications, WiMax is another technology that the company uses to support online data accessibility. We also prepare video capsules of individual player from all teams as well as those of their opponents that combine shots taken during practice sessions or matches along with performance analysis or opposition analysis reports and feedbacks. The players can store these capsules in their laptops, ipods or playstations and view them anytime they wish to, said Ramakrishnan.

Now thats the power of technology! These solutions have offered the coaches unlimited scope to experiment and build strategies to improve individual player performance and team performance, match strategies, fielding strategies as well as strategies to beat opposition attack.

DeepPoint, a business intelligence tool, is being used to analyze match performance. It generates a lot of information on team performance and aptly analyzes the techniques used in the game or during practice sessions. Sometimes verbal feedback given by a coach to the players creates a communication gap. Technology has largely helped to bridge this gap which is being filled up by the video analysis/feedbacks and multimedia illustrations, said Ramakrishnan.

Thanks to technology allowing the dismissal to be replayed ad nauseum from multiple angles, you can hardly watch any more such celebrations live on TV

Sports Mentor is again being used for coaching and performance assessment. This application creates critical information on players performance. These are then converted into intelligent information and analytical reports based on which the coach or the physio can design specific actions, measures or trainings for the players. It also helps in benchmarking players and use them to play to their optimum capacity. It allows the coach and the physio to study players fitness graphs, analyze their case history, injury reports, etc. All this information is collected and collated on a single online database in the form of video clips, visual illustrations, analysis, coachs comments; and any member of the team can access it whenever required. It always helps when one watches his moves and actions along with verbal explanations as well as visual illustrations. This method makes a lot of difference, explained Ramakrishnan. The method helps to maintain an analytical track record with live video footages of the players performance and actions.

Twenty20 Pro is being used for match or performance analysis including batting, bowling and fielding. It generates important information about a players current performance level. It captures videos of a players actions and movements live and helps to provide immediate feedback.

Although the current edition of IPL lost its desi flavor, we still can feel the rush of adrenaline in our body while the players sweat it out in the South African fields to win the coveted trophy. It is again technology that has revolutionized cricket broadcasting. Watching a cricket match on TV has never been so viewer friendly. All said and done, we all hope that IPL Season 2 delivers an exciting cricket experience and entertains the viewers with all its glamor and starry antics... and of course the Cheerleaders!

Piyali Guha
piyalig@cybermedia.co.in

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