As the world celebrates the Cricket World Cup, we bring you a list of cricket-themed web series to watch on OTT. These series will satiate your appetite and passion for cricket. Cricket and entertainment are undoubtedly India’s two most important religions. Cricket fans from both genres are in a frenzy as the festive season approaches. Following extensive research, we present to you the top 5 web series based on the theme of cricket.
These series are flawlessly crafted and will undoubtedly keep you entertained. These cricket-based series have received some of the highest ratings and praise. These shows have been critically acclaimed as well as widely popular. This list contains the ideal blend of motivating, passionate, and sporty web shows currently available on major OTT platforms.
Top cricket web series:
5. Roar of the Lion:
Year of release: 2019
Director: Amir Rizvi
Seasons: 1
IMDB rating: 7.8/10
OTT platform: Disney+ Hotstar
Storyline: This short series follows the return of MS Dhoni and the Chennai Super Kings after a two-year ban. The ban was undoubtedly the darkest period of Dhoni’s career, and in this series, he and his teammates recount what happened behind the scenes and take you through the team’s comeback in 2018, when they won the IPL for the third time.
Review: The series is an unapologetic homage to the extraordinary bond that fans have developed with the franchise over the last decade. As Dhoni puts it, his relationship with the city felt like an arranged marriage from a matrimonial website. One that has clearly had a significant impact
The documentary’s best moments are without a doubt those dedicated to the fan base that has now established itself as the most widespread in the country. When a little girl talks about how she stopped watching IPL for two years when her team wasn’t there; when a Dhoni Superfan talks about taking a train to Pune with hundreds of fans to watch his team after the Cauvery controversy cut short the team’s return to Chennai; when Dhoni himself chokes and is moved to tears at the team’s private reunion party — those are the incidents that tell you what has made CSK the mega-brand that it is now, despite everything that has gone on.
4. The Test:
Year of release: 2020
Director: Adrian Brown; Sheldon Wynne
Seasons: 2
IMDB rating: 8.8/10
OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
Storyline: The Test, like Roar of the Lion, revolves around Smith and Warner’s dark period in their careers. It demonstrates how Cricket Australia has progressed under their new coach, Justin Langer. The series begins with Smith, Warner, and Bancroft being banned for ball-tampering and follows Cricket Australia until the 2019 Ashes. This show also provides us with an insight into the game at the highest level, as you will see many stories that occur behind the screen.
Review: The documentary scratches a few itch, but it’s not for those looking for a deeper dive into the Cape Town ball-tampering saga. As a result, if the over-the-top reaction to indiscretion the first time around is any indication, some may feel underwhelmed, if not angry. As with all of these projects, the allure is in the toil, and no sport involves as much collective and personal toil as cricket.
Some of the most enjoyable performances come from the supporting cast. Beyond Smith’s well-documented quirks and bucketloads of Ashes runs, there is very little of the “sandpaper three” – Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft. Before the start of a crucial Ashes day, Smith prepares by singing along to “Jerusalem” in a mock English accent.
Langer, of course, is the show’s star. You’ll either end up liking him or finding his absurd syntax of hippy and management-speak nauseating. Personally, I think it’s manageable and adds to a series that would be significantly less without him.
3. Cricket Fever: Mumbai Indians:
Year of release: 2019
Seasons: 1
IMDB rating: 7.3/10
OTT platform: Netflix
Storyline: As the title suggests, this documentary follows the Mumbai Indians during the 2018 season. It all starts with the 2018 IPL auction, where you can see how the pre-IPL meetings with coaches and owners go. The series also tells the stories of players such as the Pandya brothers, Ishan Kishan, Surya Kumar Yadav, and others.
Review: The tone is set right away, with Ambani admonishing his obviously older executive team to crack down on leaks. The group appears to be paying attention to his warnings, but it appears that the kid is asserting himself a little too much. The Pandya brothers are shown in their childhood home, still very close to their parents — of course, their mother insists on Kurnal eating more of the food she gives him than he wants. Kishan is shown to be a jerk who ignores the strength coach and nutritionist’s advice. Tare is shown with his wife and young daughter, just wanting to start over after his injury.
This is one of the better moments in the first episode: Ambani is so overjoyed that he gets Krunal Pandya that he waves at the camera and says, “Thank you, Netflix.” Then he walks out of the room and accidentally bangs his head against the door jam. This goofy kid with a lot of responsibility was having a very human moment.
2. Inside Edge:
Year of release: 2017
Production company: Excel Entertainment
Seasons: 3
IMDB rating: 7.9/10
OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
Storyline: Inside Edge, Amazon Prime Video’s first Original series in India, follows the Mumbai Mavericks, a fictional T20 franchise competing in the Power Play League, and stars Vivek Oberoi, Richa Chada, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Tanuj Virwani, and Angad Bedi. Set in a landscape of competing interests, where selfishness is almost a virtue and money and power go hand in hand, the series follows the Mumbai Mavericks as they deal with ownership issues and allegations of match-fixing. You might lose faith in international cricket matches/the IPL after watching this series.
Review: Inside Edge, Amazon Prime Video’s first Original series in India, stars Vivek Oberoi, Richa Chada, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Tanuj Virwani, and Angad Bedi and follows the Mumbai Mavericks, a fictional T20 franchise competing in the Power Play League. Set in a world where selfishness is almost a virtue and money and power go hand in hand, the series follows the Mumbai Mavericks as they deal with ownership issues and match-fixing allegations. After watching this series, you may lose faith in international cricket matches/the IPL.
Inside Edge follows the Mumbai Mavericks, a fictional T20 franchise competing in the Power Play League, and stars Vivek Oberoi, Richa Chada, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Tanuj Virwani, and Angad Bedi. The series follows the Mumbai Mavericks as they deal with ownership issues and match-fixing allegations in a world where selfishness is almost a virtue and money and power go hand in hand. You may lose faith in international cricket matches/the IPL after watching this series.
1. Selection Day:
Year of release: 2018
Created by: Marston Bloom
Seasons: 1
IMDB rating: 7.3/10
OTT platform: Netflix
Storyline: Selection Day, a Netflix original series, is based on Aravind Adiga’s novel of the same name. Their father will train two brothers to become India’s next great batting pair. They will relocate from their village to Mumbai and hope to compete in domestic leagues during the upcoming Selection season. They struggle to realize their own ambitions and identities in the face of their overbearing father and a system stacked against them.
Review: Selection day looms large over the story, but it is almost incidental to Manju’s journey, which is defined by his relationships – with his older brother, Radha, his father, and, most importantly, Javed Ansari, a confident cricketer and classmate who has a profound impact on Manju’s life.
The unrealized passion between Manju and Javed, which unfolds through covert stares and open hostility before blossoming into a tumultuous friendship, is also only hinted at in the first season. A second season is desperately needed to capture the essence of Adiga’s novel as a sports drama with a homoerotic undertone.
So, this was all about the best cricket web series that is a must-watch. Also read, Watch: Shah Rukh Khan assists Asha Bhosle during WC finals.
