By: Aditya Ahuja

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is introducing a ‘Smart Replay System’ for quick and accurate decision-making processes in the upcoming season, starting from March 22.

In this new replay system, eight of Hawk-Eye’s high-speed cameras will be spread across the ground, and two Hawk-Eye operators will be seated in the same room as the TV umpire, providing images as part of the Smart Replay System.

Under the new arrangement, the TV broadcast director, who previously acted as a liaison between the Hawk-Eye operators and the third umpire, will not be involved.

Notably, the TV umpire will now have access to more visuals, including split-screen images, than before.

For instance, consider a fielder on the boundary rope making an overhead catch in midair. A split screen showing the fielder’s feet and hands at the exact instant of the catch, previously unavailable to broadcasters, will now be shown to the TV umpire.

Similarly, in the event of an overthrow resulting in a four, a split screen can display whether the batters were crossing at the time of the throw. With synchronized video and photographs of the precise moment, the Hawk-Eye operators can provide the TV umpire with clear visuals, unlike before when such visuals were not readily available.

The ‘Super Bowl’ of cricket, the Indian Premier League, is set to return this week with a blockbuster opening clash between defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in a South Indian derby at their home arena, MA Chidambaram Stadium, on Friday.

The schedule until April 7 has been announced, with the remainder to be revealed later due to the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the dates for which are yet to be notified.