IPL 2018: 5 reasons why IPL 2018 is going to be bigger than ever

The Indian Premier League has been the best cricket tournament in the world. Over the past 10 years, the IPL has taken the standard of the game to a whole new level. Even though the league has been through many controversies over the years, it has not lost its fans and this is one of the greatest signs of its growth.

Although the league was said to be nothing more than a source of entertainment during the initial years, it has taken a different route altogether and it is turning out to be a talent producing factory. Over the decade, the IPL has given a platform to hundreds of young talents who hone under the guidance of world-class coaches and players.

With the season 11 to be held this year, the league is entering its second decade and this year's edition promises to be exciting than ever. Here are a few reasons why this year's season is going to be bigger than ever.

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#5 Return of the Chennai Super Kings and the Rajasthan Royals

Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, the two franchises were suspended from the league for a period of 2 years and thus were not part of the previous two seasons. It was speculated that the two teams may have lost most of their fans after being involved in wrongdoings that led to their suspension. But the teams have already created a buzz among the fans even before the start of the tournament.

The craziness among Super Kings' fans is on such a high level that they are crowding the stadium even during the practice sessions. Chennai Super Kings have been one of the most successful teams in the IPL, having qualified for the playoffs every single season that they have participated.

With the return of the two teams, the IPL is going to be as entertaining as it used to be before the banning of the two teams and the tournament is sure to see skyrocketing TRPs this year.

#4 Reshuffled teams

IPL Auction 2018 which was held earlier this year was the first of its kind in the history of the league. Since the inception of the tournament in 2008, this has been the first time that all the teams have been built from scratch. Most of the players who were linked to a particular franchise will be seen playing for new teams this year.

Due to the retention policy, many of the teams never released their star players over the years. For instance, Mumbai Indians never released their key players like Harbhajan Singh and Lasith Malinga, Royal Challengers Bangalore never released Chris Gayle and there are many such examples.

In the upcoming season, it will be interesting to see the players who were stuck with a particular team for years, turning up for their new teams.

#3 Introduction of DRS

The Decision Review System, which is in use in all the three international formats will make its debut in the IPL this year. Decision Review System has become an integral part of cricket lately after it has been successful in reducing umpiring errors.

In the upcoming season, each team will be allowed one review per innings. Where the decision of the umpire used to be full and final in the earlier seasons, now this technology can be put to use in challenging the umpire if he seems wrong and the decision can be overturned.

The Indian Premier League saw some poor umpiring in the previous season, which cost heavily to the teams and the introduction of DRS became a heavily discussed topic. Finally, the introduction of the DRS will reduce the umpiring errors and will make the league more exciting.

#2 Mid-season transfers

According to the reports, it will be the first time that the IPL will feature players being transferred between the teams in the middle of the season. There will be a five-day transfer window roughly between Match no. 28 to 42 where the teams will be allowed to transfer the players.

The capped players who would have played at most two matches and all the uncapped players will be eligible for the transfer. The addition of this new feature will be one of the best things to have happened in the league's history. The mid-season transfer will open opportunity for players who keep warming the benches for the whole season.

The addition of this feature will make the IPL more exciting as it will be interesting to see a player wearing a jersey on one day and a different jersey on another day.

#1 Broadcasting in Virtual Reality

The game of cricket is becoming more and more exciting with the association of technological advancements. From the introduction of replays to the introduction of DRS, technology has taken cricket to a whole new level.

The broadcasters of IPL 2018 announced that this year IPL will be streamed in Virtual Reality. VRT cameras will be installed in the stadiums which will shoot the game from all the angles. The viewer has to simply put on the VR box and tune in to Hotstar.

Moreover, the tournament will be broadcasted in 6 languages this year, and the viewers will also be allowed to choose camera angles. With the blend of Virtual Reality, the broadcasters are trying to make it an immersive experience for the cricket fans.