Making the cricket bat less brutal: A missed IPL advertising opportunity

Ever since April 13, match officials have begun using a gauge to measure bats, with an eye on maintaining the balance between bat and ball and ensuring that batters do not gain an undue advantage

In the first edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008, batters lofted 622 balls over the boundary for six. By 2018, the number had jumped to 872. The 2022 edition witnessed 1,062 sixes, 2023 saw 1,124 maximums, and by 2024, the tally had reached 1,260. This year, the IPL looks to be on-course to exceed last year’s count. With batters getting more and more aggressive, grounds becoming smaller, and curators creating flat unforgiving wickets, bowlers have been under severe attack — and stress.

 

So is the culprit the bat or the batsman? The IPL officials perhaps believe that