Artificial intelligence is already influencing "almost all elements" of day-to-day work for cricket analysts, according to Freddie Wilde, an analyst for teams in the Indian Premier League and the Hundred, and head of cricket intelligence at CricViz.
Wilde states that AI has increased his autonomy, allowing him to undertake tasks that previously required data engineers or data scientists. This marks AI's initial significant impact on cricket, by enabling players, coaches, and analysts to achieve more rather than replacing them.
For batters, AI may provide insights into bowler pitching likelihood and risk assessment, while bowlers could use it to identify weaknesses in opposition against specific angles, lengths, or field placements. The ultimate decision-making remains human.
In player development, EquiPlay, a talent-pathway platform, uses AI to standardise coach assessments and track player progress. It has recorded over 2,000 assessments for 300 young cricketers by 28 coaches in a first-class county pathway. Prof Adeela ahmed Shafi of the University of Gloucestershire notes that the platform aims to make coaches' judgment visible and can help identify progression differences among groups, potentially revealing biases.