IPL 2018: 7 major changes in the IPL over the years

Nothing is permanent in life except change, and the IPL is no exception. Over the years the Indian Premier League has evolved into an unparalleled brand across the globe. It has undergone several changes in its decade-long history.

These changes have actually taken the league to new heights and it is now the most viewed cricket league in the world.

The IPL gained global popularity within a very short span, thanks to the quality of cricket and mainly some of the innovative changes. Let us now look at some of the major changes that the league has undergone as it successfully enters its second decade.

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#1 The Strategic Timeout

The timeout rule was introduced during the second edition of the IPL in 2009, which was played in South Africa. It was a seven-and-a-half-minute long break in the middle of the innings during that season.

But owing to widespread criticism, the duration of the time-out was reduced to two two-and-a-half minutes intervals from the 2010 edition of the IPL, which received a huge appreciation from the franchises.

It is essential to evaluate and change the strategy mid-way through the T20 games if needed since each and every ball has a definite impact on the game’s outcome.

While the bowling side can ask for this break at the end of 6th, 7th, 8th or 9th over, the batting side can opt for timeout at the end of the 13th, 14th, 15th or 16th over. A curious fact about the strategic timeout is that mostly when a bowling side opts for their time-out, they tend to find a breakthrough in the very next over.

#2 The knockout stage format

Until the third season, the knockout stages comprised of two semi-finals, a third-place playoff (only in 2010) and the finals. The playoffs format was introduced for the first time in the knockouts during the fourth season of the IPL and it comprises of four matches - the Qualifier1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2 and the final.

The table-toppers play each other in the Qualifier 1, whose winner directly qualifies for the final while the losing team plays the winner of the Eliminator contested between the third and the fourth-placed teams.

The team that wins the Eliminator qualifies for the Qualifier 2 and plays the losing team of Qualifier 1 and the winner of this game plays in the finals. An interesting fact about the playoffs format is that the teams finishing second in the league standings have gone on to win the title on numerous occasions.

#3 The trophy

This is what the players play for, the beautiful IPL trophy. The winners of the first three seasons were presented with a gorgeous diamond-studded trophy.

The trophy had the Indian map in the background with the logo of the IPL handcrafted in wood and a batsman in gold leafing holding a diamond bat in the front. It was encrusted with rubies, yellow and blue sapphires. It was hand-crafted by the Orra diamond brand’s design team.

After the third season, the winners are being presented with the glamorous trophy that contains the words, “Yatra Pratibha Avsara Prapnotihi” meaning where talent meets opportunity. The Chennai Super Kings are the only side to win both the old and the new crown.

#4 The title sponsor

In 2008, India’s biggest real-estate company- the DLF paid a staggering sum of Rs. 200 crore to own the title rights of the Indian Premier League for the first five seasons of the cash-rich tournament from 2008 to 2012.

The brand DLF IPL became immensely popular within a short span and garnered millions of fans across the globe. The first five seasons of the IPL with the DLF as the title sponsor was tremendously successful.

However, after five seasons the BCCI decided not to renew DLF’s contract, and they introduced a tender with a base of Rs. 300 crore. PepsiCo won the title rights with a deal worth Rs. 396.8 crore for the next five seasons.

Nevertheless, they ended their association with the IPL after three seasons due to the spot-fixing scandal and the eventual suspension of the CSK and RR franchise. In 2016, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer Vivo won the title rights and continues to be the sponsor of the IPL.

#5 The stumps

LED stumps were used for the first time in the IPL during the ninth season in 2016. This innovation was conceived by an Aussie industrial designer called Bronte EcKermann and created by Zing International. It has provided the Television viewers and spectators an enhanced experience while getting them more involved in the game.

The technology was first used during the 2012 Australian Big Bash League, after three years of intense research. Now it is almost used all around the globe, especially in the T20 leagues such as the Pakistan Super League, Caribbean Premier League, and of course the Indian Premier League.

Whenever a batsman is bowled out or stumped, the bails and the stumps flash, thereby putting to rest the ambiguity whether the bails got dislodged or not.

#6 The broadcasting rights

Sony Pictures Network and the World Sports Group held the IPL Broadcasting rights for a ten-year contract worth Rs. 8,200 crore. While Sony handled the domestic broadcasting, the World Sports Group handled the international distribution.

Sony Max became the most watched channel during the summer since the IPL became a major Television property within India.

The television viewership surged to a record 1.25 billion in the tenth edition of the league in 2017. In September 2017, Star India acquired the global media rights to the IPL under a five-year contract from the 2018 season worth Rs. 16,347.5 crore, a significant increase over the previous deal and the most expensive broadcast deal in the history of the game.

The domestic television, domestic digital and the international rights were sold in packages for Star India. They are currently the rightsholder of the ICC tournaments and the Indian national team.

#7 The Decision Review System (DRS)

The BCCI finally agreed to introduce the Decision Review System (DRS) from the 2018 edition of the IPL. It is well known that the Indian board has never been a huge fan of this system and India was the last major country to adopt DRS when they played the Tests against the England side at home in the 2016-17 season.

DRS usage in the T20 internationals came into effect from 1 October 2017, after the ICC made it mandatory.

The Review System was used for the first time in a T20 tournament during the playoff stages of the 2017 Pakistan Super League.

Each team will get one review per innings from the season-opener on 7 April, when the Mumbai Indians take on Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede stadium. The ball-tracking and the Ultra Edge technologies will also be used in this year’s IPL.