What started as a quirky tech experiment is now an inseparable part of the game
Imagine a bowler sprints in, the batter misjudges, and—POW! The ball crashes into the stumps. But instead of just a simple wooden thud, the stumps burst into a dazzling neon glow! The crowd goes wild, the batter strolls back, and the umpire makes his call in an instant—quite literally!
That was IPL 2016—the amazing season when LED stumps made their spectacular debut in the world’s biggest T20 league. Now, in IPL 2025, we hardly give those glowing stumps a second thought. But back then? Oh, they were truly a sight to behold, a fascinating novelty, and, believe it or not, quite an extravagant addition to the game!
Credit: The Federal
Have you ever wondered where these fantastic stumps came from? Surprisingly, they didn’t originate from the IPL or India but from the innovative mind of Bronte Eckermann, an Australian engineer and a former cricketer. Back in 2012, he was inspired by a toy his daughter loved to play with, and that spark of creativity led him to invent the fantastic LED stumps that light up when the bails are dislodged.
These stumps made their exciting debut in the 2013 Big Bash League and later graced ICC events, including the thrilling 2014 T20 World Cup and the unforgettable 2015 ODI World Cup. They indeed took cricket entertainment to exciting new heights!
Credit: The Federal
Alright, let’s break it down. What makes these stumps so special?
Microprocessor sensors – The moment the bails lose contact with the stumps, the sensors detect this.
Instant LED glow – The bails illuminate within 1/1000th of a second—no delays, no debates!
Radio signal transmission – A signal is sent from the bail to the stumps, triggering the lights.
Low-voltage batteries – These tiny powerhouses reside inside the bails, ensuring they shine bright.
Credit: The Cricket Lounge
You might want to take a seat for this: a single set of LED stumps, complete with the bails, comes in at about ₹30-35 lakhs ($40,000)! Just the pair of bails alone will set you back ₹50,000- enough to buy a nice laptop! So, who covers the cost of these fancy stumps? It’s not the franchises, the players, or even the bowlers who break them!
The BCCI partners with Zing International, opting to rent stumps for international matches and the IPL instead of buying them outright.
Credit: ABP
Let’s be real—before LED stumps, things could get messy in cricket. Questions often arose, like whether the bail actually came off, if the keeper knocked it with his gloves, or if a gust of wind was to blame. However, these glowing stumps have eliminated all doubts.
In close calls, especially during stumpings and run-outs, the instant glow assists on-field umpires in making faster and more accurate decisions. There’s no need for endless replays or “umpire’s call” controversies anymore; only a clear, bright, neon-lit answer remains.
Credit: The Cricket Lounge
Since its IPL debut in 2016, LED stumps have become the gold standard in world cricket. Whether it’s the BBL, PSL, The Hundred, or ICC tournaments, everyone is using them now. But the IPL? The IPL transformed them from a cool innovation to an absolute must-have.
