What is Smart Stats Total Impact?

Prince Yadav castled Virat Kohli in the second over of the chase BCCI

ESPNcricinfo's Smart Stats assigns rating points to each batting and bowling performance by a player in each game. The rating points factor in not just the runs scored, strike rate, wickets taken, and economy rate, but also the context of those performances.

  • Total Impact for a player in a match is a numerical value which is the sum of his Batting and Bowling Impact.

  • These Impacts are calculated based on the context of a batting/bowling performance.

  • Context is based on an intelligent algorithm which quantifies the pressure on the batter/bowler at every ball of an innings. This is the Pressure Index (PI) value for each ball.

  • The factors that go into calculating PI include runs required; overs remaining; quality of batter at the crease and those to follow; quality of bowlers and number of overs left for each; pitch/conditions, and how easy/tough it is for batters/bowlers.

  • Each wicket taken by a bowler gets an Impact Wicket value, based on quality of batter; match situation and pressure on both teams at that point; batter's score. Bowling impact is a combination of Impact Wickets and economy rate of the bowler, taking into account the PI.

  • For batters, the runs scored off each ball is converted into Impact Runs, based on match context and pressure on the batter at that point. Batting impact is a combination of Impact Runs and strike rate, which is also context-based.

  • While extra credit for match-winning performances is organically built into the algorithm, it is not unusual for a stand-out performance in a losing cause to be the most impactful in a match.