Mumbai, 07 October (H.S.): Regional languages are playing an increasingly influential role in the way cricket is consumed in India. JioStar on Wednesday announced the launch of its “Beyond Boundaries” initiative, aimed at connecting advertisers with the growing and highly engaged audience watching cricket in regional languages. The initiative includes partnership opportunities across live cricket feeds as well as pre-match and post-match programming.

During the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, the reach of the Kannada feed on JioHotstar registered a 30% year-on-year increase, while the Telugu and Tamil feeds recorded growth of 23% and 12%, respectively. Telugu recorded the highest growth among the three markets in its share of total digital viewing time, rising by 30%, followed by Kannada and Tamil.

The growth highlights how cricket consumption is no longer confined to Hindi and English, with viewers increasingly gravitating towards feeds that combine live sporting action with linguistic familiarity and cultural resonance.

Each regional feed also developed a distinct programming identity tailored to domestic franchises and fan communities in its respective market. Tata IPL 2026 featured special programmes such as “Cricket with Chai” and “Orange O Rangu” on the Telugu feed, “Kempu Sainya” and “Inside RCB” on the Kannada feed, while the Tamil feed presented match-day programming under the theme “Inni Singapathai”. Special segments focusing on emerging young talent were also featured across all three markets.

Regional-language coverage was strengthened by a panel of more than 160 commentators and experts across 12 languages. The line-up included former cricketers and regional specialists providing commentary tailored to their respective markets. The Tamil feed featured Murali Vijay and L. Balaji alongside former Sri Lankan cricketer Russell Arnold and RJ Balaji. The Telugu feed featured Hanuma Vihari and MSK Prasad, while the Kannada feed included Vinay Kumar and Veda Krishnamurthy. JioStar curated each regional feed with locally recognised faces and voices rather than relying solely on a single national commentary team.

Tata IPL 2026 also recorded strong growth across digital platforms. Connected TV reach increased by 22%, while digital video views touched 25 billion, an 8% year-on-year rise. The share of total viewing time on digital platforms in regional languages also increased by 33%.

Anup Govindan, Head of Sports Sales at JioStar, said, “The growth of cricket in regional languages reflects how the way India watches cricket is changing. Audiences are not just watching in greater numbers; they are choosing to experience the sport in languages and environments that feel familiar to them. For brands, this is significant because it gives them an opportunity to connect with cricket at a deeper level across different markets. The real opportunity lies in understanding what makes each audience and market distinct and building strategies around those nuances, rather than viewing regional consumption merely through the lens of scale and reach.”

According to JioStar, regional-language feeds continue to attract substantial audiences across platforms. This is creating new opportunities for viewers, advertisers and partners to engage with cricket across India’s diverse markets.

For JioStar, the growing audience for multilingual cricket feeds signals a broader transformation in the sports-viewing landscape. Regional-language feeds are no longer merely extensions of the main broadcast; they are emerging as an integral part of the wider cricket ecosystem.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar