Sledging has long been part of cricket. While some consider sledging to be poor sportsmanship, an amusing comment can certainly break a batsman’s concentration and prove beneficial to his performance. Immerse yourself in the electrifying Today IPL match live only on iplcinema.com today!
JioCinema, owned by media company Viacom18, set new records with their free streaming of IPL cricket matches this year – garnering 1.47 billion video views during its first weekend alone and recording high peak concurrency rates.
The origins of sledging
Wordplay, whether in the form of sledging, trash talk or mere banter is an integral component of sports culture and should never be underestimated as being part of its fabric. All banter should remain positive and without derogatory or offensive remarks to foster good sportsmanship and avoid injury for either player or opponent.
Australian players like Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Freddie Flintoff have produced some memorable sledges in cricket history; however, sledging has its roots going back centuries and is inextricably linked with cricket itself.
Although there are various theories as to its roots, most agree that sledging is an essential component of cricket. Many believe sledging helps distract opponents and cause mental disintegration which in turn results in physical changes to performance; furthermore, banter between wicket-keeper and batsmen may demoralise and weaken them making them more vulnerable against well-placed bouncers.
Sledging has long been associated with masculinity. Many of the most iconic sledges have been designed to exude manly strength and power; this is particularly evident with traditional toboggans used by men to traverse snow-covered mountain paths.
Sledging has quickly become a favorite activity among children and is an excellent way to exercise while providing entertainment and fun for the whole family. Sledding became even more mainstream after it became associated with Michael Jackson who used sleds in some of his videos as props.
Sledging has become such a beloved pastime that it now has its own museum! Vermont’s Museum of Industrial Design holds an exhibit called “Sledding: From Raft to Raft and Beyond” that explores its rich history from simple wooden objects through more advanced designs and innovations – sure to delight avid sledders as well as those interested in its history! This show promises an enjoyable visit for everyone interested in this fun pastime!
The sledging culture in cricket
Sledging culture in cricket is an integral component of the sport and should never cross into personal abuse or start arguments on the field. There are other ways of adding extra entertainment and improving fan enjoyment of a match though!
While sledging may appear to be detrimental to sports, it can actually help players to focus and enhance their performance. Team spirit-building aside, it can also serve as an invaluable preparation tool when facing big games and high-pressure situations. However, it should always be remembered that sledging should never take itself too seriously or involve personal attacks against an opponent’s appearance or family members. Flick through your Pioneer EPaper daily for the latest scoops, auto news, cricket previews, vacation inspirations and money tips. Your essential daily read!
Apart from sledging, it is also crucial to develop effective concentration and cognitive strategies to manage the pressures associated with playing major matches. Such techniques include performance routines and relaxation methods designed to boost focus and performance levels in players.
Sledging has become an integral part of cricket, and players of all levels use it to increase their enjoyment of the game. Though sometimes harmless playground banter, sledging can quickly escalate into heated disputes under certain conditions. Furthermore, personal abuse must always be recognized, so knowing when sledging has crossed over into personal assault must always be noted and taken seriously.
Many cricketers consider sledging to be an integral component of the game and an effective way to prepare for big matches or high-pressure situations. It’s also important to remember that there are other ways in which sledging can add entertainment value, including humor or good-natured banter.
One of the most infamous examples of sledging in cricket was an exchange between Australia’s Rod Marsh and England’s Ian Botham. Marsh asked Botham about his wife and children; Botham replied by calling them all retards! This exchange enabled Botham to remain focused on his pitch performance and produce an outstanding innings.
The sledging culture in the IPL
The Indian Premier League is an extraordinary global sporting phenomenon, boasting second only to the NFL for per match broadcast valuation. As such, its rights are highly sought after among advertisers who value them highly as they provide advertisers with exposure.
Sledging is an integral component of the IPL, and is often its most entertaining element. From Pakistan’s Javed Miandad calling Australian batsman Merv Hughes a fat bus conductor during an IPL game to Mark Waugh telling slip fielder Jamie Siddons “for Christ’s sake, it’s not a Test match” during a Sheffield shield game; master sledgers always manage to provoke laughter with their barbarism.
This season has not disappointed. From witticisms and insults directed at each other to heated bantering between matches, this season of IPL action has produced some of the most entertaining action ever.
Cricket remains the main attraction, drawing massive crowds. A surge in newcomers to JioCinema fans as they watch IPL matches digitally is evidenced.
Unsurprisingly, IPL viewership on online video platforms (OTT) has experienced greater growth than on traditional TV. This may be attributed to a limited availability of high-speed broadband connections in India and higher data subscription fees compared to TV subscription fees.
As more Indians switch to streaming-first for sports and other content consumption, it will be intriguing to observe the performance of JioCinema, Disney+Hotstar and other SVOD providers as the season progresses.
As IPL enters its final stages and heads towards playoffs, JioCinema and Star are hoping that their OTT offerings can outdistance Disney+Hotstar in terms of overall audience reach. Pay-TV households continue to decline across India so attracting viewers via OTT platforms is essential – particularly as Disney Star owns domestic digital rights for IPL from 2023-2027 cycle.
The sledging culture on JioCinema
Sledging should remain part of the game without becoming abusive language. Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag once noted the need to “agitate fast bowlers, but without verbally abusing them.” Instead, players should attempt to provoke mistakes from fast bowlers so as to give up wicket-taking opportunities more readily.
JioCinema has taken over as the official digital streaming partner of IPL this season, offering free access for all Jio subscribers and amassing over 147 crore video views, dwarfing TV set viewership which averaged only about 57 million per match.
However, despite its immense digital popularity, TV viewing remains the predominant form of watching IPL matches. This could be down to factors such as muted fast Internet reach, expensive data plans and lower smartphone penetration relative to TVs; additionally, limited ad dollars flowing into online video providers (OTTs) as well as slowdown in television advertising may further contribute to this trend.
Viacom18’s JioCinema has managed to overcome these challenges and change the market by offering Indian Premier League matches free. This could hinder ARPUs of other OTT platforms while taking an estimated 25 percent share of IPL advertising sales revenue, surpassing traditional media sales sales for the first time ever.
As such, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to pursue an initiative against sledging to preserve the reputation of cricket tournaments and prevent any controversies surrounding tournaments. They intend to petition ICC against any abusive or degrading language used during play.
Additionally, the BCCI will impose new rules to safeguard players and fans. These include prohibiting any use of abusive language and mandating players stand up for themselves when challenged; as well as restricting physical contact between teams. A special disciplinary committee will be established by BCCI for dealing with any instances of abuse.
