Myth 1: Test cricket is a dying format
This has been a common cry since the rise of T20 leagues. While it's true that shorter formats attract huge crowds and broadcast deals, the idea that Test cricket is on its deathbed is an exaggeration. Major series, particularly The Ashes, still draw
massive stadium crowds and television audiences. The introduction of the World Test Championship has added context and narrative to every series, giving teams a global title to play for. While financial viability is a challenge for some nations, fan surveys consistently show that a huge majority of cricket followers still consider the five-day game the pinnacle of the sport. It's evolving, not expiring.
Myth 2: The Ashes urn contains the real ashes of a bail
This is one of cricket's most romantic stories. The tale goes that after Australia's first Test win in England in 1882, a mock obituary declared the death of English cricket and that 'the ashes' were taken to Australia. When England's captain, Ivo Bligh, vowed to 'regain those ashes', the legend was born. He was later presented with a small terracotta urn, supposedly containing the ashes of a burnt bail. However, the contents have never been officially confirmed. Theories range from the ashes of a bail to a ball's cover or even a lady's veil. The original urn remains a personal gift, not an official trophy, and resides permanently at the MCC Museum at Lord's.
Myth 3: Underarm bowling is completely illegal
The infamous 1981 incident, where Trevor Chappell bowled underarm on the final ball to prevent New Zealand from hitting a six, led to widespread outrage. This act, while within the rules at the time, was seen as deeply unsportsmanlike and led to a swift change. However, underarm bowling isn't entirely banned. According to the Laws of Cricket, it is not permitted unless there has been a special agreement between both teams before the match begins. In practice, this never happens in professional international cricket, rendering it effectively illegal, but the rule itself allows for a very specific exception.
Myth 4: If you hit the Spidercam, it's a six
Imagine hitting the perfect shot, only for it to thud against an overhead camera. Frustratingly for the batter, this doesn't result in a six. If a batted ball hits the Spidercam, its cables, or any other part of the camera system, the rules are clear: the umpire must call and signal a dead ball. This means the play is null and void. The delivery is re-bowled, and no runs can be scored, nor can a batsman be given out from that ball. This happened to Virat Kohli in 2016, denying him a certain boundary.
Myth 5: Cricket is a 'gentleman's game'
This phrase is often used to evoke an era of fair play and sportsmanship. However, its origins are rooted in class distinction, not ethics. In 17th and 18th century England, 'gentlemen' were the upper-class amateurs who played alongside 'players'—the working-class professionals. The term simply described who was playing, not how they behaved. In fact, cricket's history is filled with gambling, disputes, and controversy, much like any other sport. While the 'Spirit of Cricket' is a cherished ideal, the 'gentleman's game' tag is more a historical label than a reflection of universal behaviour.
Myth 6: Sachin Tendulkar's centuries often led to India losing
This was a persistent criticism that followed the Little Master throughout his career, but the numbers tell a very different story. It’s a classic case of confirmation bias, where losses are remembered more vividly than wins. Of the 49 One Day International centuries Tendulkar scored, India won 33 of those matches—a win rate of over 67%. Only 14 of his ODI centuries came in losing causes, with two matches ending with no result. In Test cricket, the record is even more definitive. Out of the 51 matches where he scored a century, India won or drew 40 of them.
Myth 7: White balls don't swing as much as red balls
This one is tricky because it's both true and false, depending on the stage of the game. A new white ball often swings more than a new red ball. This is due to the polyurethane coating and lacquer applied to keep it white, which can make it harder and aid initial movement. However, this effect is short-lived. White balls deteriorate faster and cannot be polished in the same way as red balls, meaning they typically stop swinging conventionally after the first 10-15 overs. Red balls, meanwhile, can be maintained to swing for much longer periods, and are also more conducive to reverse swing later in an innings.
Myth 8: The Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method is just random
It may be confusing, but the DLS method is anything but random. It's a complex mathematical formula designed to set fair targets in rain-affected limited-overs matches. The core principle is that a batting team has two resources: wickets in hand and overs to play. When an interruption occurs, the DLS system calculates a revised target based on the percentage of these combined resources that have been lost or remain. It’s not simply about proportional runs and overs; it acknowledges that a team with 10 wickets and 20 overs can score more freely than a team with 10 wickets and 50 overs to pace themselves.
Myth 9: A single person invented cricket
Unlike basketball, which can be traced to James Naismith, cricket has no single inventor. The sport evolved over centuries from informal bat-and-ball games played in rural England. The earliest references date back to the 16th century, likely starting as a children's game in Kent or Sussex. There are theories suggesting Flemish weavers brought a version of the game to England, with the word 'cricket' possibly deriving from a Flemish term. The first codified laws weren't written until 1744, by which time the game was already well-established and had been evolving for generations.
Myth 10: Ricky Ponting used a spring-loaded bat
This conspiracy theory exploded after Ricky Ponting's blistering 140* in the 2003 World Cup final against India. The sheer dominance of his innings led to whispers that he was using a bat with a spring inside for extra power. The rumour was so widespread it became a playground legend. The truth is his bat contained a thin carbon-graphite reinforcement strip, which was completely within the rules and designed to strengthen the bat's spine, not to create a trampoline effect. The myth was simply a testament to how impossibly good Ponting's performance seemed that day.
