Cricket is one of the famous sports watched live by millions of people from all around the world. The history of cricket dates back over to more than 200 years now. All of you must know about the three formats of cricket: test matches, ODIs and T-20s. But cricket was not the same back then in the 18the century.
Earlier people used to prefer the longer durations of the cricket matches. That is why a test match is referred to as the classic format of cricket. The cricket is also called the game of gentlemen because earlier only rich people used to have opportunity to play cricket.
Popularity Of Cricket In Old Times
Cricket was not as much popular as you see now in current times. This is because back then the cricket was played in test format only. Test cricket means that the two teams will play cricket straight for five and six days to decide the winner of the game. Cricket started gaining popularity when great players came and showed their skills. Earlier than that, people used to take cricket as a fun activity but not as a competitive sport.
But the style with the legend and great player used to play attracted the audiences, and lots of people then started the following cricket. People used to see them and adapt their style to their gameplay. They inspired many people to start cricket as a career and play it for their country. Now you must be wondering who is a legend of cricket. This answer can be complex and subjective according to the people. But some players helped cricket grow a vast and massive fan base which we see now.
Legends Of The Cricket
The great and exceptional players of cricket are referred to as legends. Deciding the one legend of cricket is a quite challenging or impossible task. There have been many great players who played fantastic cricket over the years. They have contributed a lot to cricket and have broken so many records. If you are from the modern generation, you have heard names like Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Ricky Ponting. These all are considered legends because they have set records that seem hard to break.
But from ancient times, names like Sir Vivian Richards, Sir Donald Bradman and Kapil dev were quite famous. They were the ones to generate the enormous fan base of cricket in their respective countries. They won essential tournaments like the world cup and many others.
Cricket In Modern Times
Now the craze of cricket in the world is enormous and unmatched with the coming up of technologies such as live telecasts that help cricket achieve new heights and grow in the various parts of the world. Also, the cricket formats and gameplay changed a lot from ancient times. Due to the busy life in the modern world, people demanded the shortened version of cricket to enjoy it.
Thus that is why ODI and T-20 were introduced in cricket. Unlike the previous format, where cricket was played for several days, the ODI became limited to a single day. Also, it was decided to have fifty overs in a single game of cricket. To make it more exciting and thrilling, the T20s were invented. In this format, there were only 20 overs to bat.
All these changes in cricket make sure that the regular interest of the cricket among the people of the world. These limited versions of the game also restored the popularity that seems to have faded.
Rules And Regulation Of Cricket
There is a central authority that regulates and makes the rules of cricket in the world. ICC or the international cricket council is the governing body of cricket that keeps an eye on world cricket. In addition, the countries have their cricket boards. Having these boards helps bring the country’s natural talent to bigger international stages. They also maintain fairness in the game. Several crickets have a vibrant history and are considered very reputable. For example, MCC or Melbourne Cricket Club is the first-ever cricket governing authority.
Thus now you can see many new private leagues of cricket happening in various countries. This is the result of a regular increase in craze and fan base of cricket. The players playing in these tournaments get proper attention and popularity, which they have never thought of. So you can play cricket for fun and leisure, and it is one of the best team sports out in the world.
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