Protective gear in cricket has become an integral part of the game, ensuring player safety while allowing them to perform at their best.
The Risk of Injuries In Cricket
Cricket is a game of skill, precision and agility. Injuries are an unfortunate reality in cricket and over the years, advancements in sports technology have made significant strides in protecting players.
Head Injuries In Cricket
Head injuries are the biggest problem in cricket. Amongst head injuries, concussion is the most frequent kind of injury. Fast bowlers can create a big bounce since they deliver the ball at a speed higher than 90 miles per hour. Therefore, the chances of hitting the head are very high. Getting hit on the head has multiple effects and may lead to concussions as well.
Concussions In Cricket
Concussions result in long-term neurological effects. It is in this respect that helmets are made and with the progression of sports technology, they are much stronger these days. Modern helmets also use more rigid lighter materials and far more advanced padding to absorb a blow and to distribute it across a greater area, thus diminishing the severe after-effect of the injury.
The Shocking Death Of Phillip Hughes
Even with such advancement, equipment and technology failed to reduce the danger in cricket. Reminders that this still is a perilous sport came, among others, with the death of a cricketer back in time. Australian batter Phillip Hughes was hit by a bouncer on his neck in 2014. Such a mishap happened in a domestic game and proved fatal when the damage came in the brain through the impact. After the incident resulting in Hughes’ death, there was a renewed interest by those concerned with the safety of the players in requiring better protection and innovation in sports technology to prevent such accidents from ever happening again.
Improvements In Protective Devices
Apart from helmets, there are other safety gears like pads, gloves and neck guards. Modern cricket pads are comfortable but are able to maximise protection against impact, so they use high-density foam and composite fibres to absorb it. Similarly, gloves have been designed with padding so that the hands do not get damaged by fast deliveries.
The Future Of Sports Technology And Player Safety
Though sports technology has most definitely made cricket a safer sport, no gear can eliminate all risks. The game continues to evolve and so must the technology that guards its players. Therefore, the future of protecting the game’s participants with innovative research and technology promises greater safety for players with an even better chance to love playing without risks or fewer injuries. With advancing technology, player safety would first come before another tragedy like Phillip Hughes could ever happen again.
The Sportz Planet Desk,
Atharva Shetye
