Game of cricket changed a lot? Do you think so?

 All new generation and old generations’ players keep saying that cricket is not the game it once was. Players from past generations may shake their heads at the idea of playing a Test match under lights.

Cricket is still the same - to score runs and take wickets - is still the same, the way it is played, the format, the equipment, the way it is officiated and even the ball that is used have all changed.

 During the 1960s there have been many changes to the way the cricket pitches created and maintained. Majority of the changes have benefited batsmen, to the frustration of the bowling fraternity and one of the biggest introductions was pitch covers. Before then, with pitches left open to the overnight rain would leave the classic "sticky" wicket or the pitch dried, there were opportunities for slow bowlers etc.

Massive another change happened to the cricket world was the introduction of the limited over cricket (40,50 & 60 over games).

Then there come the various decision referrals systems, Hawk Eye system, Decision Review System (DRS), Snickometer or "Snicko, Hot Spot etc.

 How much these technologies influenced Cricket, again cricket community divided as any other changes. Some says decision making process gone fairer and others say the purity of the on field umpire lost …

The most recent change, the size of cricket bats another big topic of discussions. he domination of bat over ball has been a much-commented phenomenon and one of the key perceived reasons for this is the changes to bats.

The rules of cricket provide that a bat can be no wider than 4.25 inches (10.8cm) and no longer than 38 inches (96.5cm).

Coupled with more attacking batting and (some) smaller boundaries, the changes to bats have been seen as one reason for bigger and record scores, such as the fastest ODI century (31 balls by AB de Villiers) and the highest score in ODI cricket (264 off 173 balls by Rohit Sharma).

There  comes the real turner the T20 Cricket.

It started out as somewhat of a desperation move by the England and Wales Cricket Board, but 12 years on, Twenty20 has taken over the game of cricket in many respects.

The ECB was looking for a shortened form of the game to attract a younger audience and stem a serious decline in crowd numbers for country cricket.

They came up with 20-overs a side game with significant alterations, including fielding restrictions, batting and bowling powerplays, the "free-hit" after a no-ball for overstepping.

In all respects it was a departure from 'normal' cricket, with batsmen coming off a bench rather than out of a pavilion, and emerging to the sound of a loud rock song as a personal theme tune.

Despite concerns from traditionalists, the format took off, and quickly spread to the international level.

Many believe the victory of India in the inaugural World Twenty20 final in South Africa in 2007 was a turning point - it led to the commercial juggernaut of the IPL, and leagues in more than a dozen countries around the world.

Changes can’t be stopped as its universal and passion for cricket can’t be stopped either as its always personal, is it?