Five things the IPL should learn from BBL

Mumbai Indians - the defending IPL championsIn 2005, Australia had their inaugural edition of KFC T20 Big Bash. It was an inter-state tournament that had six teams (Queensland Bulls, South Australian Redbacks, New South Wales Blues, Victoria Bushrangers, Tasmania Tigers and Western Australia Warriors). It was a massive success and then all the cricket boards came up with an idea of setting up their own T20 league.India too had their own league called the Indian Cricket League, which was run by the Zee Group. It was termed as the rebel League as the BCCI was not in a favour of the league. After India’s 2007 World T20 triumph, BCCI came up with a league of their own, the Indian Premier League and it took the cricketing world by storm.The IPL had several world class players taking part in the tournament and at the end of the very first edition, IPL became one of the best and richest sporting leagues around the world. In 2012, Cricket Australia scrapped the Big Bash and started Big Bash League, a franchise-based tournament on the lines of IPL.Though there are some comparisons between both the leagues, the IPL stands out as the best among the rest. Still there are some things that the IPL should learn from the BBL. Let us take a look at five things from the BBL that the IPL should take a cue from.

#1 LED Bails

LED bails are used in BBL

One of the major things that took the attention of cricket fraternity towards the Big Bash League is the introduction of LED bails and stumps. This has made the job easier for the umpires especially during a stumping and run-out calls.

Earlier, the third umpires used to have some confusion regarding the dislodging of bails while making a call over a tight run-out or stumping. But since the inception of LED bails, there are no such worries for the TV umpires as the lights in the stump and bails will start to blink as soon as the bails get dislodged.

After it's success in the BBL, the ICC has started to use those LED bails in the ICC events. Now, the onus is on the BCCI to use the idea in the IPL.

#2 Women\'s IPL

The Sydney Thunder women's team won the women’s BBL

Last year, Cricket Australia came up with an idea of starting a separate Big Bash League for women. And that idea was a huge success as the 2015-16 edition of the BBL saw the women’s BBL taking place simultaneously.

The WBBL had the same eight teams that the men’s edition had and in the end, Sydney Thunder were crowned as the champions. The IPL should start a similar T20 league for women as it gives more emerging women cricketers a platform to perform and showcase their skills.

India is known to produce some great talents in the women’s circuit and the introduction of women’s IPL will make sure that more cricketers will get a chance to become the next big thing in women’s cricket.

#3 Player interaction with the commentators

Chris Gayle’s interview with Mel McLaughlin created a lot of ruckus

Batsmen after getting dismissed will have a small chat with the presenter so that the audience can feel the how the pitch behaves and the conditions in the middle. Adding to this, the players will be commentating live on-air when they are on the field.

It would be a great addition for the Indian Premier League viewers if IPL decide to introduce players giving commentaries and interviews from the ground. This is one tradition that the cricket Australia follows.

However, Chris Gayle’s dug-out side interview with Channel 10 presenter Mel McLaughlin in the 2015-16 BBL created a lot of controversies after the West Indian was alleged for using sexist comments on her.

#4 Commentators

Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting and Damien Fleming giving commentary

The Indian Premier League will have some veteran commentators commenting on the game. On the other hand, Big Bash League has the former cricketers who called it a day few years back commenting on the game.

The likes of Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Damien Fleming, Mark Waugh, Mike Hussey, Brett Lee etc. feature in the commentary team and they make things more interesting. Adding to this, they will also have players who are not playing on that particular day.

IPL should consider bringing some Indian cricketers, who retired in the recent past and make things more interesting.

#5 Reducing the number of matches

IPL should consider reducing the number of matches

Last, but not the least, IPL should take a cue from BBL and have the tournament in a one-month window rather than prolonging it for nearly 60 days. Both the leagues have 8 teams taking part in it.

The Big Bash League follows a format in which each team faces every other team once and then there will be one more match, which is usually the derbies. In total, there will be a total of just over 30 matches followed by the knockouts.

On the other hand, IPL has a typical league format in which a team will play all the other teams twice- one match at home and one away. In total, there will be as many as 56 league matches followed by the knockouts.

With the duration of the IPL too long, the fans tend to get bored at the business end of the league stage. Reducing the number of matches will bring a lot of interest to the IPL.