Sairaj Iyer finds out if ‘gully cricket’ can leverage technology to give IPL a run for its money.
The razzmatazz of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is just around the corner. But 50 miles north-east of Mumbai, a league is busy attracting players and fans alike. Unlike popular IPL where the white Kookaburra sails around the park, in the back alleys it is generally the green Goodshot doing the rounds.
However, let there be sufficient warning that this ain’t gully cricket you have experienced – there is play without fear of damaging windowpanes; teams appear in identifiable jerseys; two cameras hover over a neatly manicured public ground; a VIP deck reveals trophies; and a live commentary provides insights in Hindi, Marathi, and English. NLP (Natural Language processing) is yet to enter the scene. But given the availability of ChatGPT, we may soon hear Marathi to English and maybe Bhojpuri to English (Very soon the lyrics could be District moves when you apply lipstick!).
The speakers blare out into celebrations every time the ball runs over a wicket or crosses the fence, but then there is no cheerleader. Understandable, scorching 35-degree Celsius heat in Navi Mumbai could practically roast the celebrations. The Ola driver rattles off names of popular cricketers who would slog out in the evening match for the ultimate shot – a trophy and a cash prize worth a lakh.
Some 300 viewers jostle for space at the side-lines of this large ground near Vashi. This is in addition to 15,000 watching the tournament via their smartphone. A frail ball-boy informs that the final in the evening is expected to have some 10,000 attendees. The camera operator confirms the number but also adds that live viewers on YouTube and Facebook could run into lakhs. Whosoever calculated IPL’s sagging viewership last year, should pay a visit to this venue. It is riveting, engaging, captivating and affordable for viewers unlike commercial Cricket which has turned unaffordable in recent years.
The Infrastructure
The comparison with the much-larger Indian Premier League is unavoidable and may have even run into controversies given that it is yet to receive an official nod from the cricketing board. But with subscribers on video sharing platforms running into millions, this enterprising cricketing avenue could act as a bridge connecting talent at the last mile to the national cricket team. In fact, last year, Ramesh Kumar a sensational tennis-ball cricket player from Jalalabad in Punjab was hand-picked to play for the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders.
The setup in Navi Mumbai does seem replete with on-field umpires approaching the third umpire for live replays and the ability for online viewers to see scrollable statistics ditto the IPL style. But something certainly seems amiss. The infrastructure could do better with a 4K camera, better telescopic lenses, and some enthusiastic commentary. A couple of large LED screens at the periphery, and a manual score counter at the South end could also add also improve the liveliness.
Capitalise on Engagement
With 63 runs required off 18 balls, this match seems poised in favour of the defendant. And while I tread off the park as an ignorant observer, the persistent Ola driver reminds me to wait and experience magic. Could two batters at the crease having seen four of their comrades’ head back to the team-zone achieve this steep target?
“Sir, yeh Patil kaa bat kaise chalta hai, dekho toh sahi!” (Sir, you need to watch how Patil swerves his bat!)
A volley of sixes out of the park, and two that fly like missiles, 90 metres out of the park. Suddenly, this match looks like a CSK vs MI fest with the pounding one expects out of Dhoni’s bat. How could this batter smash an off-side half-volley over the umpire’s head! Speechless!
Try NFTs
Talented players and tennis playing teams could leverage technologies such as NFTs (non-fungible tokens). Player stat cards these days sell for a few bucks, but the real ability for grass-root stars is to emulate stalwarts like Lionel Messi and even NBA star Kobe Bryant. Messi NFTs for the unversed have gone under the hammer for 1,000 Ethers (Rs 12.77 lakhs). Then there’s sporting-kits, Jerseys, short video clips of winning moments – especially unachievable feats and match memorabilia such as autographs, trophies, and awards that could be sold on the big internet.
IPL collectibles are limited to playing cards and with top teams unlikely to part with their accolades, there is a fantastic opportunity for fan-clubs instituted by tennis-ball cricket organisers. For the top IPL teams, the fear is simple – what if NFTs on a marketplace do not fetch top-money, could they lose out on the ability to monetize at a physical auction?
Does it pinch IPL?
Viewership for IPL last season has taken a beating. The Women’s IPL is likely to improve numbers this season. However, in a country where cricket is a religion, Tennis ball cricket may have far more viewership and engagement given cities across the country enjoy this sport.
While such sporting fests can nurture talent at the grassroots, there is always a risk. Last year a bunch of enterprising labourers and unemployed youth from Gujarat duped a few Russians into gambling on a fake match. The organisers had these season-ball matches live-telecast. Anand Mahindra, the chairperson at Mahindra Group tweeted how the group missed a billion-dollar valuation. “Just incredible. And if they had called it the ‘Metaverse IPL’ they could have gotten a billion-dollar valuation!” He tweeted back then.
Despite potential risk, one may assume that players with tennis-ball cricket are associated for sheer fun and not the commercial side of cricket. A bit of national attention may prod these unpadded cricket stars to pursue a professional career. Should they not leverage technology and steal big bro’s thunder?
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