Related Articles
Cricket has seen a significant technological revolution over the years, with advancements like the Decision Review System (DRS) eliminating umpiring howlers. Now, former India head coach Rahul Dravid has shared his views on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data analysis could benefit the sport—particularly in injury prediction—while ensuring that cricket doesn’t lose its human element.
Speaking at an event in Mumbai on March 1, Dravid made a humorous remark about cloning India’s ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah to highlight the potential and limits of technology in cricket.
Table of content
Dravid’s Take: “Can We Clone Five Bumrahs?”
Dravid joked about the idea of replicating five versions of Jasprit Bumrah, emphasizing that such technological interventions would take away the uniqueness and charm of the game.
“Can we clone five Bumrahs or something? I mean, I’m just saying that, but that wouldn’t be fun either, right? I mean, what would be the fun in that? Where’s the uniqueness then?” Dravid said, as quoted by PTI.
He further stressed that while AI could be helpful, cricket must retain its human touch and unpredictability.
“I think maybe leave sport alone for a bit and we don’t want to get AI too involved in sport. There’s got to be that human element to it. Bumrah is unique because it’s so hard to do what Bumrah does.”
AI’s Role in Injury Prediction
While Dravid ruled out AI replacing the uniqueness of players, he did express hope that AI and data science could help predict injuries—a major challenge in cricket, especially for fast bowlers.
“One of the things that you are really hopeful about what AI might be able to do is predict injuries. You just look at the level of injuries we have, and no one really has a perfect answer as to why people pick up stress fractures.”
Bumrah himself suffered a lower back injury during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) Test against Australia in Sydney, ruling him out of the ongoing Champions Trophy. Dravid emphasized that injury prevention using AI could save careers and help players prolong their peak years.
Also Check: Rohit Sharma Nears Historic Milestone; Set To Surpass Tendulkar In IND vs NZ Clash
Finding the Right Balance Between AI & Cricket
During his tenure as India’s head coach, Dravid used data analysis effectively but ensured that players weren’t overloaded with information.
“You’ve got to be able to use all of this data and technology for your benefit. You can’t become a slave to it, but certainly, there are huge advantages to using AI. You’ve got to find that balance between recognizing that data is important and ensuring that the human instinct remains crucial.”
Conclusion
Dravid’s take highlights the fine balance cricket needs to maintain between technology and tradition. While AI-driven injury prediction could be a game-changer, the magic of cricket lies in its human unpredictability—something that even five cloned Bumrahs couldn’t replace!
