5 changes that should be introduced from IPL 2016

3. Rules for rain-interrupted matches

The rules for rain-interrupted matches need to be tweaked

Nothing can be more annoying than waiting for our favourite match and watch it get delayed due to rain. This season too, a lot of teams suffered despite being in a good position on the points table as rain played spoilsport. While the weather is not in anyone’s control, what can be done is that the cut-off time for matches that begin at 4:00 PM can be increased.

The current rules provide a cut-off time of 60 minutes for league matches and 120 minutes for play-offs beyond which matches are either shortened or abandoned. There were numerous examples this season of matches which were beginning at 4:00 PM being shortened when they could have easily carried on till around 11:30 PM, which is around when matches that begin at 8:00 PM finish, as it would have enabled them to play the full quota of overs. The BCCI needs to take the fans into consideration and reconsider this rule from next season onwards.

4. Introduce the Decision Review System

With technology improving day by day, it is time that the BCCI accepts the Decision Review System (DRS) and incorporates it into the IPL. With almost every game in the IPL this season having had a major umpiring blunder, introducing the DRS will bring more credibility to the tournament and ensure that the better teams progress. You wouldn’t want an IPL final, after all, to be decided by an incorrect umpiring decision.

Also, another rule that needs to be tweaked is regarding the priority given to number of wins over net run rate. Unlike previous seasons, the team with more number of wins got precedence over the team with the higher net run rate this season. In a tournament where matches have been abandoned due to rain quite often, this is grossly unfair and needs to be changed with immediate effect.

5. Do away with cheerleaders

The presence of cheerleaders is a mere gimmick that needs to be done away with for good

This seems to be a never ending debate. The advent of cheerleaders during matches is seen as a major setback for the spirit of the game with the focus shifting away from cricket. While there is nothing wrong with celebrating our favourite team with these gorgeous people, there is an ugly side to this.

Many cheerleaders have openly spoken about their discomfort due to the crowd. With match-fixing allegations, after match parties, secret blogs scandals and a whole range of issues, it is better to be safe than sorry. The BCCI definitely needs to review having cheerleaders in the IPL as a ban on them is not going to affect the quality or viewership of the tournament.