Decoding the art of cricket commentary

#4 Helping the viewer understand the game better

Amidst the beautiful words, magical descriptions and a poetic voice, the basic motive of a commentator is to make the viewer understand the game in a better way, explaining to the viewer the reason of a particular field change or the changes in the batting order of a team.

That’s where the role of ex-cricketers comes into play because they understand the game better than anyone else. The likes of Nasser Hussain and Michael Holding are among the finest examples for this discussion.

The awareness of what is happening in the game and the ability to explain it through words in a simple manner remains at the core of a commentary job.

“Commentary to requires fierce concentration on every ball. Before opening your mouth, put your mind into gear”, said Richie Benaud. This sentence sums up the art of commentary, the art which brings great flavour to our glorious game.