Areas for Improvement:
- Body Proportions & Attire Issues:
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The thigh area appears too small, affecting player realism.
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Thigh guards are either missing or not visible, which is a crucial part of cricket gear.
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Clothing physics are unnatural—creases and wrinkles don’t form properly when players bend or stretch.
- Shot Mechanics & Animations:
- The execution of classic shots like the Cut, PULL, drives lacks real-life smoothness.
- Footwork isn’t always precise, and bat positioning sometimes looks awkward.
- Follow-through movements appear stiff rather than fluid.
- Lighting & Shadows:
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Poor interaction between lighting and clothing textures makes the visuals feel flat.
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Shadows are inconsistent, making depth perception harder, especially in night matches.
Gameplay Mechanics
Batting:
Timing-based mechanics are solid, rewarding well-placed shots.
Some shots feel pre-determined rather than dynamically adjusted based on player control.
Lack of variation in animations makes gameplay repetitive.
Bowling:
Decent variety in bowling actions for different types of bowlers.
Some deliveries feel less impactful, with minimal deviation off the pitch.
The speed variations don’t always feel realistic.
Fielding & Wicketkeeping:
Improved fielding mechanics with better catching animations.
AI fielders still misjudge certain catches and misfield too often.
Wicketkeeping reactions sometimes feel delayed, leading to unrealistic missed stumpings.
AI Behavior & Match Awareness
AI still struggles with situational awareness—batters play aggressive shots in test matches even when defending would be a better option.
AI field placement is sometimes illogical, failing to adjust based on match conditions.
Use motion capture from real cricketers to refine body proportions and stances.
Improve cloth simulation physics to ensure jerseys, pants, and protective gear behave naturally under movement.
Add dynamic equipment placement—thigh guards should be clearly visible and adjusted based on batting stance.
Shot Mechanics & Animations
Issues Identified:
- Lack of fluidity in shots like cover drives and flicks.
- Footwork feels unnatural—batters sometimes appear to float rather than step properly.
- Follow-throughs look robotic and lack variation.
Recommendations:
Implement procedural animation blending—this allows different movements (like footwork and bat swing) to interact naturally.
Add AI-driven footwork adjustments, ensuring the batter reacts to the ball realistically.
Capture multiple shot variations for the same stroke to avoid repetitive animations.
Lighting & Shadows
Issues Identified:
- Flat lighting makes player textures look dull.
- Inconsistent shadows affect depth perception in night matches.
Recommendations:
Implement ray tracing or better shadow mapping to improve light reflections on clothing, bats, and faces.
Enhance stadium lighting effects for a more immersive experience.
Gameplay Mechanics
Batting Issues & Fixes:
Some shots feel pre-determined → Add dynamic ball physics that respond to bat angles & power.
Lack of variation in animations → Capture more shot animations per player type (e.g., aggressive, defensive, technical).
Lofted shots feel random → Introduce better timing mechanics for high-risk shots.
Bowling Issues & Fixes:
Speed variations don’t feel impactful → Introduce seam and swing physics for better ball movement.
Short balls & bouncers are inconsistent → Improve AI batter reactions and balance risk-reward decisions.
Fielding Issues & Fixes:
AI misjudges catches → Implement adaptive AI learning where fielders improve positioning based on match data.
Slow wicketkeeper reactions → Improve keeper reflex AI to make catches and stumpings more realistic.
AI Behavior & Match Awareness
Issues Identified:
- AI batters don’t always play realistically (e.g., Test match aggression).
- Field placements aren’t adjusted logically based on match conditions.
- AI struggles with run chases, failing to assess risks properly.
Recommendations:
Implement real-world situational awareness models for AI, allowing it to:
Leave more deliveries in Tests.
Rotate strike better in ODIs & T20s.
Adjust aggression dynamically in run chases.
Improve dynamic field placement AI based on the batter’s shot history and match situation.
Multiplayer & Career Mode Enhancements
Issues Identified:
- Career mode feels repetitive.
- Online multiplayer has lag and connectivity issues.
Recommendations:
Add player progression depth—allow skill upgrades, contract negotiations, and sponsorship deals.
Improve server infrastructure for smoother online gameplay and matchmaking.
Introduce real-time decision-making AI in career mode for more engaging scenarios.
New Features & Enhancements for the Next Cricket Title
- Career Mode Improvements
Issues in Cricket 24’s Career Mode:
- Repetitive Progression – Matches and events feel scripted, making the experience monotonous.
- Lack of Depth – No real player negotiations, contract discussions, or sponsorships.
- No Dynamic Rivalries – Players don’t develop rivalries based on past performances.
- AI Decision-Making Feels Stale – Team selections, batting orders, and strategies lack realism.
New Features to Improve Career Mode:
Player Negotiation System – Let players sign contracts with clubs, leagues, and sponsors based on performance and reputation.
Dynamic Rivalries – If you perform well against a particular bowler, the AI should adjust its strategy to counter you.
Reputation-Based Career Path – Your selections should depend on factors like:
Domestic form
Team chemistry
Captain’s trust
Fitness & injuries
More Realistic AI Team Selections – Teams should select players based on form, not just overall ratings.
Training System – Allow custom training schedules that improve specific skills (e.g., footwork, bowling variations, fielding reflexes).
- Shot & Bowling Variations
New Batting Features:
Customizable Shot Styles – Different batting stances and backlift animations based on real players.
Adaptive Shot Selection AI – AI batters should adjust their shots based on match conditions.
More Edge Cases – Top edges, mis-hits, and mistimed shots should behave realistically.
New Bowling Features:
Seam & Swing Physics Overhaul – Realistic ball movement based on weather, pitch, and bowler skill.
Bowler’s Follow-Through Animations – More natural reactions after delivering the ball.
Bowling Strategy Suggestions – AI should suggest field placements and bowling variations based on the batsman’s weaknesses.
- Enhanced AI & Game Awareness
Match Awareness AI: AI should react to:
Run chases dynamically (increase/decrease aggression based on required run rate).
Pitch deterioration (adjust batting approach based on cracks, bounce, and spin).
Player form (AI should favor in-form players over poorly performing ones).
Tactical Decision-Making:
Bowlers should change their lengths based on a batsman’s weakness.
Batters should leave more deliveries in Tests and focus on timing rather than power.
- Realistic Presentation & Commentary
Dynamic Commentary System – Make it more reactive to the match situation rather than generic phrases. commentators calling player names should be a thing. this was in ea cricket games.
In-Stadium Atmosphere Enhancements – More realistic crowd behavior, including:
Reactions based on match momentum.
National anthems in tournaments.
Celebrations for milestones like centuries and five-wicket hauls, not just these also statistical milestones of a player as well . the screen could show congratulating a player
for achieving 10000runs etc.etc. (this will be a revolution)
- Better Online & Multiplayer Modes
Ranked Online Tournaments – Players should be able to compete in leagues with real rewards.
Co-op Career Mode – A friend should be able to play as your batting partner or bowling duo in career mode.(maybe for another time)
Custom Online Matches with AI Integration – Allow AI to fill in gaps when human players disconnect.
- Visual & Motion Capture Enhancements
More Lifelike Player Models – Improved body proportions, accurate facial expressions, and better jersey physics.
Better Cloth Physics – Jerseys and pants should move naturally when players dive, run, or bend.
Realistic Pitch Conditions – Visible cracks, grass coverage differences, and footmarks should affect gameplay.
- New Features That Could Revolutionize Cricket Games
Historic Match Recreation Mode – Play classic cricket matches with real-life conditions (e.g., 2011 WC Final, 2005 Ashes).
Dynamic Injuries & Recovery System – Injuries should impact player performance and selection decisions. (The injury system was there in EA cricket 2004, which we never got to see again. players were dropped from team until they recovered. Recovery period was shown)
Cricket Academy Integration – Allow players to train under legends like Sachin, Lara, or Warne.
also a universe mode where users could pick a team and play as them for years . competing in tours , tournaments from across the globe just like career mode. but here you get current roster.
Final Thoughts
If the next Cricket title focuses on:
Realistic AI decisions
Deeper career mode with negotiations and rivalries
More shot/bowling variations
Enhanced physics and player models
It could become the ultimate cricket simulation game and set a new standard in sports gaming.
Final Thoughts
For their next title, developers should prioritize realistic physics, AI improvements, and better animations to bridge the gap between Cricket 24 and real-life cricket. A focus on procedural animation blending, dynamic AI decision-making, and advanced lighting effects could make it the best cricket game ever made.
