IPL 2024 Series, Part-3: The pace of T-20 increased with the start of the league; 80% test results came out, 12 double centuries in ODI

In the first 37 years of ODI cricket, scores of more than 300 were scored 279 times. And in the last 17 years, the score of 300 plus has been scored more than double 614 times. This became possible because the Indian Premier League (IPL) started 17 years ago in 2008. This league increased the scoring rate of the batsmen rapidly.

It was only after IPL that the first double century was scored in Men's ODI, the figure of which has now reached 12. T-20 teams increased from 16 to 103. At the same time, the test format became interesting, teams started focusing on results instead of draws, due to which results are coming in 80% of the matches.

Today in Part-3 of IPL 2024 series, we will know the impact of IPL on ODI, Test and T-20 formats. We will see this in 4 parts, first the number of matches, second the scoring rate, third the batsmen and fourth the impact on the bowlers.

1. Impact of IPL on T-20 format

Part-1: Matches of the year increased from 33 to 280
T20 International started on 17 February 2005, New Zealand and Australia played the first match. After 2 years, the World Cup of this format was played, which India won under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The very next year, the first franchise tournament of cricket in India, Indian Premier League (IPL) started. Which changed the definition of cricket.

Till 2010, there were 17 countries playing T-20 International in 6 years. There were an average of 33 matches in a year and teams played only 12 matches on an average in 6 years. In the next six years, the average number of matches per year increased to 63 and the number of teams increased to 21. But the real change happened from 2017. Since then the teams playing T-20 have increased 5 times to 103. The average number of matches per year has also reached 280.

Many small countries of the world like Nepal, Mongolia, Jersey started playing cricket with T-20 format. Cricket is becoming a global sport with this format and now it has also been included in the 2028 Olympics. The 2024 T20 World Cup will also be hosted by a country like America along with West Indies. Where sports like rugby, basketball and baseball dominate.

Part-2: Targets of 200+ runs were easily chased
IPL also increased the scoring rate of T-20 cricket. Till 2010, 200 plus was scored 19 times and teams chasing the target of more than 200 only twice won. In the last 7 years, a score of 200 plus has been made 243 times. Not only this, more than 200 runs were scored in the second innings 42 times, out of which the team won in 59% of the matches.

There was a time when scoring 300 runs in 50 overs cricket was a big thing, but now the mark of 300 runs has been crossed in just 20 overs. In the 2023 Asian Games, Nepal created a world record by scoring 314 runs against Mongolia. Such a score is difficult to score even in ODI and Test formats.

Part-3: 19 centuries were scored in the first 12 years, 124 were scored in the last 7 years
In the 12 years from 2005 to 2016, 19 international centuries were scored in the T-20 format. At that time, scoring a century was also a big thing but in the last 7 years, 124 centuries have been scored in this format. Glenn Maxwell and Rohit Sharma have 5 centuries each, while ICC's number-1 T-20 batsman Suryakumar Yadav of India has scored 4 centuries in the last 3 years.

Brendon McCullum played an inning of 158 runs for Kolkata in the very first match of IPL. Which immediately laid the foundation for playing big innings in cricket. Since then, in T-20 International, individual scores of more than 150 runs have been made thrice and more than 125 runs have been made 17 times. Australia's Aaron Finch also holds the world record for playing an innings of 172 runs.

Part-4: Bowlers started getting more wickets
The economy rate of bowlers in T-20 cricket remains between 7 and 7.5. But every six years the average wicket figures of bowlers increased. Till 2010, a bowler got an average of 4 wickets. In the last 7 years, the average wicket figure of a player has reached 7. In which spin and pace bowlers have got an average of 9 wickets each.

2. Impact of IPL on ODI format

Part-1: The pace of ODI matches has stopped
ODI cricket started on 5 January 1971, the first World Cup was played in 1975. From then till 1988, only 11 teams entered this format. There were an average of 30 matches in a year. By the time of the IPL, the teams had doubled to 23. By 2006, the average annual matches also increased by 257% to 107.

From 2008 till now, only 4 teams have been able to progress in this format. On an average, 127 ODIs are played in a year but in the last 18 years, the average number of matches played by a team is only 84. That means IPL worked to make the ODI format stable. ICC is also not focused on increasing more teams and matches in this format.

Part-2: Scoring rate increased rapidly
IPL definitely increased the scoring rate of ODI format very rapidly. Till 2007, in the first 37 years, scores of more than 300 were scored 279 times; it took an average of 10 matches for a 300 plus score. But in just 17 years of IPL, 300 plus scores have been scored 614 times, 2.2 times more. Now 300 runs are scored in every third match.

Scored 400+ 5 times till 2007, at that time it was very difficult to score 400 runs. But in the last 17 years, a score of more than 400 has been made 22 times. Not only this, the England team had also come close to scoring 500 runs in 50 overs. The team had scored 498 runs against Netherlands in 2022. The team has also scored 481 runs against Australia.

Even in run chase, teams are achieving the target of more than 300. In the last 18 years, more than 300 runs were scored in the second innings 162 times, out of which the team won 57% of the times. The run rate has also increased from 4.69 to 5.20. Whereas in the previous 37 years, teams had won chasing a target of more than 300 only 19 times.

Part-3: 12 double centuries have been scored in 14 years
Before IPL, scoring 150 runs in 50 overs cricket was a big deal. Pakistan's Saeed Anwar's record of 194 runs could not be broken for 12 years. Then came IPL in 2008 and Sachin Tendulkar scored his first double century in ODI cricket only after 2 years.

After Sachin, double century became a common thing. In the last 14 years, double centuries have been scored 12 times, out of which Rohit Sharma alone has scored 3. He has the highest score in an ODI innings in his name, he played an inning of 264 runs against Sri Lanka in 2014.

After IPL, the strike rate of players also reached from 71 to 82. Players started hitting more sixes, in the last 18 years on an average every batsman has hit 10 sixes. Till 2006 this figure was only 7.

Part-4: Bowlers were beaten, but there was not much reduction in wickets.
The IPL did not reduce the bowlers' ability to take wickets. In the 18 years before 2008, fast bowlers got an average of 26 wickets and spinners got 17 wickets on an average. In the last 18 years, this figure has declined by only one wicket. However, the economy rate of bowlers definitely increased from 4 to 5.10. That means more runs started being scored against the bowlers.

3. Impact of IPL on Test format

Part-1: 12 teams started playing tests from 7
The first international cricket match was played between Canada and America in 1844. 33 years later, the Test format started in 1877. Starting with Australia and England, by 1990 the number of Test playing countries increased to 7. By 2007, this figure increased to 11.

Before IPL, a team used to play an average of 63 matches in 17 years and around 41 tests were played in a year. After 2008, the team definitely grew in 17 years but the average number of matches became 57. If the teams increased then the number of matches per year should have increased but it came down to 40.

Top-3 countries England, Australia and India together play 25 Tests annually, the remaining 9 teams are able to play only 15 Tests. That means, if the top-3 countries do not focus on Test, then this format may end in a few years.

Part-2: After IPL, more tests started ending in 2 days
In the 34 years from 1974 to 2007, 1128 tests were conducted, out of which 35% were draws and 65% i.e. 741 results were obtained. During this period only 2 tests were completed in 2 days. After IPL, 6 tests have ended in 2 days.

Due to league cricket like IPL, batsmen want to score runs fast. In this situation, teams lose wickets quickly, due to which the results of the 5-day test also come quickly. This was the reason that in the last 17 years, 80% of the matches of the longest format had results. Only 133 out of 679 tests were drawn.

Part-3: An average of 2 centuries started being scored in a test.
Till 2007, 5 centuries were scored in every 3 tests but after IPL, on average 6 centuries started being scored in every 3 tests. That means an average of 2 centuries in a test. This happened because batsmen are now reaching milestones faster by playing faster. They have started relying on attack more than defense.

There were 10 triple centuries scored in the last 17 years, whereas before the start of IPL, there were 9 triple centuries scored in the 17 years. In the gap of 17 years, the number of double centuries also increased from 119 to 134, which means, even if slightly, the speed of batting in Test cricket also started increasing.

However, despite IPL and T-20, no player has been able to break Brian Lara's record of scoring 400 runs in an innings. Lara played this innings against England in 2004. The highest individual score since IPL also reached only 335 runs.

Part-4: It became a bit difficult for the spinners to take wickets
The speed of scoring runs of the batsmen increased but it did not have much impact on the fast bowlers. During the gap of 17 years, every bowler took an average of 26 wickets, which reached 25 after IPL. Fast bowlers started taking 35 wickets on average instead of 34. Although the spinners got an average of 21 wickets instead of 23, it became a bit difficult for them to take wickets.

T-20 increased, ODI and Test stable
If we look at all three formats, after IPL only T-20 format is growing rapidly. ODI and Test formats have got stability. The number of matches in both formats is decreasing instead of increasing. Teams are also joining at a very slow pace, if they are increasing then the number of matches they are playing is not increasing.

12 to 14 franchise leagues like IPL have started in almost every country. Due to which T-20 cricket and especially league cricket is getting a boost. This has not caused much harm to international cricket so far, but if the players' focus on league and money increases, then the quality of international cricket will definitely be affected.

Graphics: Kunal Sharma & Ankit Pathak