Instagram handles on shirts to Twitter poll for coin toss: Is ICC looking for new innovations?

ICC's new innovations for cricket

ICC's new innovations for cricket , ICC Twitter handle

The International Cricket Council (ICC) have been posting on Twitter a series of innovative ideas in order to make the game more appealing to younger generations. Using the hashtag #CricketNotAsYouKnowIt, ICC posted a series of tweets informing people about the new changes.

The global cricketing body has introduced changes to the game which could be applied over the coming months. The first to begin with will be bringing in Instagram handles on the back of the shirt in Test matches. 

The ICC’s Twitter post stated: “As part of our efforts to make the game more appealing to younger generations, the ICC will be applying for both numbers and Instagram handles to kits from the beginning of the World Test Championship.”

The other changes would be a Twitter poll to replace coin toss, shorts to combat heat and commentators on the field to appeal to the young fans. However, all this could just be a prank keeping today's date (1 April) in mind.

The ICC also decided to go the baseball way of double play. It means that they can now inflict double damage on their opposition. “After taking a catch, the fielding team will be permitted to complete a ‘Double Wicket Play’ by running out the other batsman”.

Not just that, they are giving an advantage to matches being played day and night. According to ICC, the runs scored in the evening session of a day/night session will count as double.

The ICC post read: “Runs scored in the evening session of day/night Tests will count double, creating a new and exciting strategic element”.

Giving a little Tennis touch to cricket, ICC also decided to make minor changes in cricket terminology. No balls and dot balls will be known as ‘Faults’ and ‘Aces’.

They ended by Tweeting, "And finally, should teams be level on the World Test Championship table, the first tie-breaking criteria will be 'Away Runs.' So which of these initiatives are you most looking forward to?"

While many are going crazy with the introduction of these changes, former England cricketer Michael Vaughan supported the idea of having Instagram handles on the back of jerseys. He, however, also hinted that it could all be a ploy by the ICC on the occasion of April Fools day.

Out of the many new ideas, the commentators in the slips isn’t new. Former England captain Nasser Hussain did go on the field with a microphone in his hand and a GoPro camera on his head during the West Indies vs Rest of the World XI at Lord’s for a Hurricane Relief T20 Challenge for a charity match.