What is the VJD Method in Cricket? | Explained

You’ve perhaps heard of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method used in rain-interrupted games. And it’s widely used in international matches.

But there’s another rain rule used exclusively in India. And it’s the V. Jayadevan (VJD) method.

So what’s this VJD method? And how is it different from the DLS method?

Let’s get into the details.

What is the VJD method?

At first, the VJD method may sound complicated. But the idea behind it is actually quite simple. 

It helps officials set a fair target when rain or other interruptions reduce the number of overs in a match.

The VJD method uses a mathematical system that officials use to revise targets in rain-affected limited-overs cricket matches.

V. Jayadevan, an engineer from Kerala, India, developed this method as an alternative to the Duckworth-Lewis method. 

He wanted to create a system that reflected how teams score runs during different stages of an innings.

The method has one simple goal. It tries to give both teams a fair chance to win, even after they lose overs.

So how does the VJD method work?

The complete VJD formula involves detailed mathematical calculations based on scoring data from thousands of cricket matches. But the basic idea is easy to understand.

Instead of treating every over as equally valuable, the VJD method divides an innings into different phases: powerplay, middle overs and death overs.

You see, teams score aggressively in the powerplay, thanks to the field restrictions. But then they slow down in the middle overs before attacking in the death.

The system studies how teams usually score during each phase and then adjusts the target according to the overs lost. It also considers the number of wickets a team has lost because wickets influence how aggressively batters play.

After analysing all these factors, the method calculates a revised target that aims to keep the contest fair.

To understand this better, let’s go through an example.

Suppose Team A scores 240 runs in 50 overs. Rain interrupts the match before Team B starts their chase. 

After resumption, the match loses 20 overs. So Team B has to chase the revised target in 30 overs.

Now, instead of reducing the target according to the number of overs alone, the VJD method analyses which overs the teams have lost and how teams usually score in a 30-over innings.

The system then calculates a revised target that gives both teams a fair opportunity based on the overs available.

So what’s the difference between the VJD method and the DLS method?

Both methods serve the same purpose. The main difference lies in how they estimate a team’s scoring potential.

The DLS method mainly treats overs remaining and wickets in hand as a team’s available resources. It calculates how many resources each team has used or still has left before setting a revised target.

The VJD method, on the other hand, gives more importance to how teams score during different phases of an innings. It recognises that teams usually score at different rates in the powerplay, middle overs and death overs. The method also considers wickets because they affect a team’s approach while batting.

Although both methods use different calculations, they share the same objective: producing the fairest possible target after a rain interruption.

Why was the VJD method created?

V. Jayadevan believed that teams don’t score runs at a constant rate throughout an innings.

Some teams build their innings slowly before attacking in the final overs. Others score quickly from the beginning. 

Jayadevan believed that the rain rule used at the time didn’t always reflect these changing scoring patterns.

So he developed the VJD method to match the way teams actually build an innings in limited-overs cricket.

Where is the VJD method used?

The VJD method has mainly featured in Indian domestic cricket. The BCCI, in particular, uses it in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and other limited-over tournaments. 

But the Indian Premier League (IPL) is an exception, which uses the DLS method.

Why doesn’t the ICC use the VJD method?

The International Cricket Council (ICC) reviewed the VJD method but decided to continue with the DLS method.

The ICC believed that the existing system already worked well and found no strong reason to replace it. So DLS continues to be the official rain rule in international cricket.

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