Here's how IPL 2018 will be different from previous editions
A decade on, after its inception in 2008, IPL underwent many changes yet remained the same in many ways. The constants from the 1st edition include: Chennai Super Kings being led by MS Dhoni, Gautam Gambhir back at Delhi Daredevils, Shane Warne with Rajasthan Royals albeit as a mentor, etc,. Now let's look at what new the 2018 season has to offer.
DRS: The biggest change of them all
For the first-time ever in IPL, the teams would have the power to review the on-field umpire's decision. In December 2017, the BCCI gave a go-ahead to use the Decision Review System (DRS) in the T20 league. DRS will feature Hawk-Eye created UltraEdge. Each team will now have one review per innings. The move will add to the excitement of the already fascinating league.
League football-style mid-season transfers
The fresh season of IPL brings with it a new European football league-style mid-season transfer window. This will give the teams an opportunity to plan and re-think their strategies mid-way through the tournament. It would also open up opportunities for players on bench. The transfer window will be 5-day long, where teams can choose from uncapped players who have played two or fewer games.
A much awaited IPL telecast in regional languages
With IPL appeal spanning across the country, the move to broadcast the event in regional languages is a masterstroke that will boost the viewership and reach of the tournament. For the first time, IPL will be telecast in six different languages. Apart from the regular English and Hindi, it will bring in a local flavour with expanded telecast in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Bengali.
VR twist to IPL
With Star India bagging the IPL rights, 2018 season can now be streamed in Virtual Reality (VR) format on Hotstar. This can be watched using VR glasses. Further one can pause the match at any point and swipe/tilt the phone to get a 360-degree view.
