IPL Stumps Price: The Stumps and Bails used in the IPL are not cheap and there are a lot of kits the players need to be able to take part in the tournament.
From bats, pads, and gloves to different shoes for bowling and batting, wicket-keeper’s gloves and pads, and the protective gear needed for a player’s different role. The Indian Premier League is the most popular and biggest cricket league across the globe and usually takes place during the summer for two months between March and May.
The globally renowned league is known for its top-notch infrastructure and television production quality. Over the years, IPL has continuously evolved also advancing the technologies to enhance the tournament’s future.
Beyond the enhancements in production and broadcasting, cricket equipment has also evolved over the years notably the evolution of Stump technology.
LED stumps, introduced a few years ago, became a highlight as they had the feature of being illuminated with red light upon impact by the ball. The LED stumps and Bails were introduced in the Indian Premier League for the first time in 2016.
Invention and Technology of Stumps
A former Australian Grade cricketer and engineer invented the LED Stumps in 2012. He and his business partner, David Leggitwood, founded Zing International in Australia.
He came up with the idea of LED bails after getting inspired by his daughter’s toys, which are similar to a cricket bail and contain LED lights.
The previously used stumps and bails are made from wood, but since the invention of LED stumps, wooden stumps, and bails are used less in international-level crickets.
The LED stumps are made from composite plastic, they are embedded with LED lights, a stump camera, and a microphone. The bails are powered by low-voltage batteries. The bail consists of microprocessors that detect when the bail falls from the stump’s rim.
The bails light up within 1/1000th second once they come in contact with the ball, bat, or any player. Then the microprocessor sends a radio signal to the stumps, which prompts them to light up.
Use of LED stumps
These innovative LED stumps were first used in 2013 in the Big Bash League of Australia. In July 2013, the International Cricket Council approved the use of LED stumps in international cricket.
Later, the ICC introduced LED stumps in the 2014 T20 World Cup in Bangladesh which got a positive response in the cricket world. Since then, the ICC has been using these stumps in all major ICC tournaments across the world.
Meanwhile, the national boards also used these sophisticated stumps for the bilateral series as well as for T20 franchise leagues like the IPL, BBL, and The Hundred.
Cost of LED Stumps
The IPL stump price may vary based on different factors such as the quality of the stumps, the manufacturer, and the location. The IPL stump price varies from INR 10 -35 lakhs, while the LED-equipped bails also have a significant price tag. Price staggered INR 40-50 thousand these bails are one of the most desired equipment in the league.
The costs of the IPL stumps can be attributed to the incorporation of highly precise light sensors. Each set of stumps undergoes various quality checks to ensure flawless performance during matches, for these export-grade stumps.
Why the Stumps in IPL are expensive?
It was a difficult task for a third umpire to decide if the bails were completely dislodged during a close call runout or stumping call.
While the stump price of INR 30 lakhs seems a high cost, it is useful in making accurate decisions in cricket which is valuable in T20 leagues and international cricket.
However, BCCI does not buy Stumps all the time. They have signed a long-term contract with an Australian company Zing International Pte Ltd and lease the wickets for the Indian T20 league and international matches hosted by India.
The cost of LED-enabled stumps, however, differs depending on brands, design, and other factors. Bails used in the domestic league could cost around INR 4,000.
There’s no escaping the fact that technology and innovations come at such an expensive one as long as they give correct decisions.
How Arshdeep Singh’s Final Over in 2023 highlighted the cost of IPL LED Stumps
In the 16th edition of the IPL, Arshdeep Singh bowled the final over against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium where the hosts needed to pull 16 runs to secure the win.
But Arshdeep Singh had other ideas. Mumbai Indians needed 15 from four balls, but the medium fast bowler produced two consecutive yorkers to dismiss Tilak and Nehal Wadhera, who came in as an impact player.
His destructive spell broke two stumps with his fierce deliveries. Reports indicated that these stumps cost INR 24 lakhs.
Similarly during the 31st match of the IPL 2024 played between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR), Trent Boult cleaned up KKR batter Sunil Narine and in the process, dismantled a stump.
