In a move set to revolutionize the viewing experience of cricket fans worldwide, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveil plans to implement a state-of-the-art Smart Replay System for the upcoming IPL 2024 season.
Alongside this technological leap, cricket enthusiasts will also rejoice as the iconic voice of Navjot Singh Sidhu returns to the commentary booth, adding his unique blend of wit and wisdom to the electrifying atmosphere of IPL matches.
BCCI to Introduce Smart Replay System in IPL 2024: Report
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to introduce the Smart Replay System in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 to increase the accuracy and speed of decision-making, as per report.
The Smart Replay System will allow the TV umpire to refer to more visuals than he previously had access to, including split-screen images, as per report.
In the Smart Replay System, the TV umpire will receive inputs directly from two Hawk-Eye operators who will be sitting in the same room as the umpire and provide him with images capture by eight of Hawk-Eye’s high-speed cameras across the ground.
Report said :
“The TV broadcast director, who until now was a conduit between the third umpire and the Hawk-Eye operators, will no longer be involved under the new system,”.
Report also said that BCCI conduct a two-day workshop on the new system in Mumbai on Sunday and Monday for select umpires.
It is learn that about 15 umpires, comprising both Indian and overseas umpires, will work with the Smart Replay System during IPL 2024 which starts on 22nd March 2024.
There are eight Hawk-Eye cameras present at every match, two on each side of the square leg and two on each side of the pitch along the straight boundaries.
Before IPL 2023, ball tracking and Ultra Edge were the primary uses for Hawk-Eye cameras.
So, for any on-field referral, the broadcaster mostly use footage from their own cameras, except for reviewing LBWs and edges.
In the new Smart Replay System, referrals for stumpings, run-outs, catches, and overthrows will be include in that.
When a stumping referral occurs, the TV umpire will request to see the split screen from the Hawk-Eye operators via the Smart Review System.
This new technology will display TV umpire tri-vision for stumpings, which is effectively a single frame of film from both side-on and front-on cameras.
The conversations between the TV umpire and the Hawk-Eye operator are likely to be air live, allowing the viewer to understand the thought process behind decisions better.
As to tell the ECB has previously use a similar referral system in the Hundred.
Navjot Singh Sidhu Confirms Commentary Return
Set to be back in the commentary box after a decade with the upcoming IPL, former India cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu says the league would help decide the T20 World Cup squad of not just India but also other countries.
After a decade-long stint in the world of politics, Navjot Singh Sidhu and his ‘Sidhuisms’ will be back on air starting with the IPL, which precedes the T20 World Cup in June 2024.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who have not play a lot of T20 cricket since the 2022 edition, are expect to be on the flight to USA and Caribbean for the ICC showpiece.
Navjot Singh Sidhu said :
“Boss, cricket is my first love. If your hobby becomes your profession there is nothing better than that. A duckling would never forget how to swim, I will take to commentary like a fish takes to water.”
Ask if the sense of humour kept him going during the turbulent phases of his life, Navjot Singh Sidhu said :
“Secret of my life is that is I switch on and switch off. It was difficult for me to switch off from politics but then the age of miracles has not passed. The difficult is done at once, the impossible takes a little while longer. The mental fortitude will sail me through any situation now. In cricket, I have made 20 odd comebacks, this is my first comeback to commentary. I was in the swing of things from 1999 to 2014-15 (commentary).
In the early years of the IPL, Navjot Singh Sidhu provide the X factor to the commentary box and the stupendous success behind the mic made him a prominent face in the entertainment world where he was paid handsomely to appear on a comedy shows.
