AI in Global Cricket: The New 12th Man?

Cricket has never stood still. From wooden bats to white-ball formats, the game has constantly evolved. But today, there’s a quieter, more subtle revolution happening—one that fans don’t always see. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now playing a growing role in how the game is played, coached, and even understood.

And no, this isn't some futuristic fantasy. It’s already influencing how teams are picked, how players train, and how injuries are prevented—across the globe, not just in India.

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Back in 2023, during the Ashes series, England’s Women’s Cricket Team did something groundbreaking. Their coach, Jon Lewis, teamed up with a tech company called PSi to run more than 250,000 simulated match scenarios. They crunched the data—pitch conditions, weather patterns, player matchups—and used it to decide the playing XI.

The result? A smarter, more data-informed strategy that gave them a real edge against the reigning champions.
This isn’t a one-off experiment. It’s part of a bigger shift happening worldwide—where decisions that were once based on instinct are now backed by deep analysis.

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Let’s be honest—cricket training has come a long way from “just watch the ball.” Tools like Ludimos, based in the Netherlands, are changing the way coaching works. Players simply upload videos of their practice sessions, and the AI does the rest. It identifies flaws in technique—whether it's your footwork, bowling stride, or follow-through—and gives feedback that’s specific and actionable.

One young bowler in South Africa improved his run-up and delivery within just a few weeks by using Ludimos. And he didn’t need a big coaching setup—just a smartphone and internet access.
For countries with limited resources, this kind of tech could be a game-changer.

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Injuries are part of the game, but what if you could spot them before they happen? That’s exactly what AI is starting to do. Startups like Tweek Labs are developing smart wearables that monitor things like joint movement, fatigue levels, and heart rate in real-time.

So, if a fast bowler is showing early signs of physical stress, the system flags it—even before the player feels anything. Some teams in Australia and the UK have already started using this tech during their training camps.
In a sport with packed schedules and high injury risks, this kind of early intervention could make a massive difference.

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Physical fitness is important, but cricket is also a mental game. That’s where platforms like GoCricit come in. They analyze things like sleep patterns, stress levels, and even mood, helping coaches design personalized mental wellness routines.

One franchise team in a domestic league used GoCricit to track a top batter’s performance metrics. Before a crucial match, the data showed irregular sleep and high stress. A small adjustment to his pre-game routine was all it took—he went on to play a match-winning knock.
This kind of support helps bring structure to an area that’s often overlooked in sports: mental readiness.

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AI isn’t replacing cricket’s human side—it’s enhancing it. It’s becoming the quiet support system that helps teams prepare smarter, train better, and stay healthier. At the highest levels, it’s no longer just about raw talent. It’s about informed preparation, backed by intelligent systems.

So here's a question worth asking:
Should we start thinking of AI not just as a tool, but as a true part of the team in modern cricket?

 

[Subiksha Anand]

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Cricket has never stood still. From wooden bats to white-ball formats, the game has constantly evolved. But today, there’s a quieter, more subtle revolution happening—one that fans don’t always see. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now playing a growing role in how the game is played, coached, and even understood.

And no, this isn't some futuristic fantasy. It’s already influencing how teams are picked, how players train, and how injuries are prevented—across the globe, not just in India.

---

Back in 2023, during the Ashes series, England’s Women’s Cricket Team did something groundbreaking. Their coach, Jon Lewis, teamed up with a tech company called PSi to run more than 250,000 simulated match scenarios. They crunched the data—pitch conditions, weather patterns, player matchups—and used it to decide the playing XI.

The result? A smarter, more data-informed strategy that gave them a real edge against the reigning champions.
This isn’t a one-off experiment. It’s part of a bigger shift happening worldwide—where decisions that were once based on instinct are now backed by deep analysis.

---

Let’s be honest—cricket training has come a long way from “just watch the ball.” Tools like Ludimos, based in the Netherlands, are changing the way coaching works. Players simply upload videos of their practice sessions, and the AI does the rest. It identifies flaws in technique—whether it's your footwork, bowling stride, or follow-through—and gives feedback that’s specific and actionable.

One young bowler in South Africa improved his run-up and delivery within just a few weeks by using Ludimos. And he didn’t need a big coaching setup—just a smartphone and internet access.
For countries with limited resources, this kind of tech could be a game-changer.

---

Injuries are part of the game, but what if you could spot them before they happen? That’s exactly what AI is starting to do. Startups like Tweek Labs are developing smart wearables that monitor things like joint movement, fatigue levels, and heart rate in real-time.

So, if a fast bowler is showing early signs of physical stress, the system flags it—even before the player feels anything. Some teams in Australia and the UK have already started using this tech during their training camps.
In a sport with packed schedules and high injury risks, this kind of early intervention could make a massive difference.

---

Physical fitness is important, but cricket is also a mental game. That’s where platforms like GoCricit come in. They analyze things like sleep patterns, stress levels, and even mood, helping coaches design personalized mental wellness routines.

One franchise team in a domestic league used GoCricit to track a top batter’s performance metrics. Before a crucial match, the data showed irregular sleep and high stress. A small adjustment to his pre-game routine was all it took—he went on to play a match-winning knock.
This kind of support helps bring structure to an area that’s often overlooked in sports: mental readiness.

---

AI isn’t replacing cricket’s human side—it’s enhancing it. It’s becoming the quiet support system that helps teams prepare smarter, train better, and stay healthier. At the highest levels, it’s no longer just about raw talent. It’s about informed preparation, backed by intelligent systems.

So here's a question worth asking:
Should we start thinking of AI not just as a tool, but as a true part of the team in modern cricket?

What a compelling and thought-provoking article! The evolution of cricket has always been about adapting to new eras—from timeless Test matches to thrilling T20s, from red leather to white balls under floodlights. But what we’re witnessing now is perhaps the most quietly transformative shift of them all—the rise of Artificial Intelligence as cricket’s silent twelfth man.


Gone are the days when cricket revolved solely around gut feelings, locker-room whispers, and the coach’s sixth sense. Now, AI is bringing in a layer of intelligence that doesn’t replace human intuition—it supercharges it.

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The example of England’s Women’s Team using AI to simulate 250,000 match scenarios during the Ashes is more than impressive—it’s a game-changer. We’ve entered an age where strategy isn’t just built on form and reputation, but on complex data ecosystems: weather, pitch reports, opposition tendencies, player fatigue—all modeled and analyzed to fine-tune team selections and tactical calls.


And guess what? It works.


This is not just analytics; it’s cricketing chess, with AI as the grandmaster’s assistant. While some traditionalists might frown, the truth is, when done right, this fusion leads to smarter, sharper cricket.

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Tools like Ludimos are redefining coaching. Think about it—youngsters from underfunded academies or rural areas can now get elite-level insights on their batting technique or bowling run-up just by recording a smartphone video. No expensive travel, no need to chase elite coaches—just tap, upload, learn, and improve.


This kind of democratization is revolutionary for a cricket-crazy country like India, where talent is abundant but opportunities are often limited by geography and access. With AI in the mix, raw talent finally gets the tools to become polished gems, no matter where it’s located.

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Fast bowlers especially will tell you—injuries are career derailers. The idea that wearables by Tweek Labs can detect signs of physical stress before the body breaks down is nothing short of miraculous. It’s like giving players a warning signal before the storm hits.


The implications are massive: fewer breakdowns, longer careers, better performance consistency. Teams can now schedule rest with scientific precision instead of guesswork. For high-stakes tournaments, this could be the difference between a fit squad and a bench full of injured stars.

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This is perhaps the most underrated game-changer: mental wellness in cricket, driven by AI.


Cricket, as we all know, isn’t just physical—it’s a war of nerves. Whether it’s overcoming a slump in form, dealing with crowd pressure, or bouncing back from failure, mental resilience is the glue that holds performance together.


Platforms like GoCricit are not only decoding performance metrics but offering psychological support backed by science. Monitoring sleep, stress, and mood to tweak routines may sound trivial—but in high-pressure matches, it can spell the difference between collapse and composure.

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Let’s be real—AI is already embedded in cricket’s fabric. From selection rooms to coaching camps, from biomechanics to broadcast graphics, AI is quietly becoming the sport’s backbone.


But here’s the thing: it still needs the human touch. AI can tell you what to do, but not always why it matters emotionally. It can suggest a bowling change, but it can’t inspire the dressing room. It can chart the probability of a pull shot succeeding, but it can’t measure the pride in a debutant’s eyes.


So maybe the answer is this: AI is not replacing the soul of cricket—it’s becoming its invisible support system. A teammate that never tires, never panics, and always runs the numbers while the players run between wickets.