Cricket is a game for some and religion for others. Any one day match between hot favorites of the cricket world will prove the truth of my statement. The excitement in the air on the morning of such a match is palpable. The fans of cricket prepare as much as their beloved sportsmen. The banners and slogans are in place, the faces have been painted and flags have been hoisted long before the coin has been tossed to decide the role of the team ? bowling or batting! The advertisers make millions by paying millions to the cricket icon who is currently ruling the day in that particular nation. The attendance at work and even schools and universities is comparatively lower in case of certain countries like India where cricket has achieved a much higher platform than many other sports.

Cricket stats in such a scenario play a crucial role in determining the popularity of the player and the team as well. A player is known by the cricket stats and whether he agrees or not it makes a difference in the way his fans perceive him. It is indeed a matter of pride to any player if he has cricket stats that boast of his achievements to the world of cricket. It helps selectors in deciding about the team when it is being formed for any particular match as the cricket stats help to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each player. Also the cricket stats play a crucial role when the coach and the players are deciding the strategy to win any match. The game can be planned keeping in mind the way a cricketer performs on the playing field.

Cricket stats will reveal a batsman who has been dismissed time and again by a particular style of bowling. This can be used by the opposing team to place their fields accordingly and bowl according to that plan and dismiss the batsmen through the use of that particular style of bowling. Cricket stats are like a complete file on your favorite cricketer and of vital importance to the cricket enthusiasts and the fans. Commentators, selectors, players and fans all have a different purpose for studying the cricket stats. However it needs to be kept in mind that not all stats are authentic in nature and there are many misleading information that are easily available on various websites on the internet. Only cricket stats that have been approved by the International Cricket Council or ICC are genuine and can be used for accurate data on any particular player.

The best part about cricket stats is that they are like a riddle where the answers are lying right in front of you and all you need to do is read between the lines to arrive at the solution. Studying cricket stats to understand a cricketer as a player and a person is an amazing activity which requires a passion for the game and keen intelligence. So next time you are ready to watch a match with a bowl of popcorn ready by your side, make sure you have glanced over the cricket stats of the players as well.