How Cricket Has Changed: Comparing Modern Cricket vs Old-Era Cricket
Published - 10 Feb 2026, 02:27 AM | Updated - 11 Feb 2026, 11:34 PM
Sachin Tendulkar once said that ‘cricket is a game that has evolved and will continue to do so, but its soul remains unchanged’ and his comments have some merit.
However, while cricket is renowned for strong ethical values of fair play, the lucrative nature of the sport has inevitably eroded some of its traditional values.
Technology, sponsorships, gambling and fitness are amongst the elements which have transformed how cricket is played across each of the different formats.
With that in mind, read on as we assess some of the key ways cricket has changed, starting with the introduction of numerous technological innovations.
Technology
Improved equipment, stump microphones, smart bails and the ‘Snickometer’ system are amongst a plethora of ways technology has impacted cricket.
Television coverage is also far more sophisticated, with broadcasters using multiple camera angles, slow-motion replays and interactive graphics to enhance their output.
Data analysis has transformed how players train and play the game. Wearable technology plays a key role in delivering invaluable insights to coaching staff.
Technology has helped to increase engagement through mediums such social media, websites, mobile apps and modern in-stadium experiences.
Online betting sites are also an integral part of the modern-day cricket ecosystem, with operators offering extensive coverage throughout the year.
Sponsorships & Gambling
Cricket sponsorships have become big business in recent years, with big brands falling over themselves to forge lucrative links with the sport.
Sponsorship of competitions, teams and players helps companies to increase their visibility and pours seemingly endless financial resources into cricket.
The gambling industry has become one of the biggest investors in the sport, particularly in the T20 and one-day versions of the sport.
Numerous live casino online have established strong ties with cricket, creating partnerships which are hugely beneficial to both sides of the equation.
Wagering on cricket matches is now part and parcel of the overall engagement experience for millions of fans worldwide.
Fitness
The volume of cricket has risen significantly since the turn of the century, which has placed greater demands on players than was previously the case.
With franchise tournaments in almost every cricket-playing nation and a seemingly endless cycle of international games, players must have a high level of fitness.
Modern sports science ensures that players can remain at the top level of domestic and international cricket much longer than was previously the case.
This has had an inevitable impact on milestones in cricket. The 10,000-Test-run club had just two members before 1993, but now has 14.
It is a similar story for bowlers, where 300 Test wickets is now viewed as a minor achievement. The 400-wickets mark has now been broken by 17 bowlers.
Scoring & Results
As we are in the middle of the T20 2026 World Cup, it’s worth remembering that the introduction of T20 cricket was designed to appeal to fans with shorter attention spans. It has achieved that aim, but also had a knock-on effect in other areas.
The T20 format has triggered significant changes in how one-day and Test cricket are played. Many traditionalists argue that it has ‘dumbed down’ the sport.
Batting averages have dipped since their peak in the late 2000s. The aggregate Test batting average between 2018 and 2021 was below. The 26.28 average in 2018 was the lowest in the last 30 years.
On the plus side, faster scoring rates in Test cricket has resulted in more matches producing finishes compared to the decades either side of the millennium.
More than 80 percent of Test matches now produce a winner, which has helped this format retain its relevance in the face of competition from the shorter versions of cricket.
Rules & Format Changes
The Laws of Cricket were launched in 1744 and have evolved massively since then. Test cricket was the dominant force from 1877 onwards, but the landscape changed in 1971.
The first one-day international between Australia and England was played, delivering a completely different experience for fans in the stadium and watching on television.
Powerplays and fielding restrictions were introduced in the early 1990s, adding a further degree of excitement to proceedings. This ultimately spawned T20 cricket in 2003.
It was specifically designed to attract a more youthful audience – one which had increasingly become incapable of engaging with the longer formats of the game.
The introduction of The Hundred in 2021 – a competition which uses a 100-ball cricket format – has further sought to make the sport more appealing to younger sports fans.
