The IPL has always been more than just cricket. It is a grand spectacle of sport and innovation.
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From umpire cams to spider cams -- the tournament has never shied away from technology. This year -- IPL 2025 has taken things a step further with a robot dog on the field.
And now this four-legged marvel finally has a name -- Champak.
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Meet Champak! The popular robot dog in IPL 2025 named by the fans
Champak had its first appearance earlier this season -- and has quickly become a fan favourite. The robotic dog was seen roaming and interacting with players on the field.
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It is also delivering a unique perspective through its built-in camera. It walks, runs and even adds a dash of personality to the matchday experience.
The name was officially revealed just before the match between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings on Sunday. According to the IPL’s official announcement, the name 'Champak' was chosen through fan participation.
We asked and you answered ✍️
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 20, 2025
Based on fan votes, we present 'Champak' - the newest member of our family 🗳🥳#TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/D2x1o8FeDR
How did the players react to Champak?
Champak has already had some memorable moments with cricketing stars. During the Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians match at Arun Jaitley Stadium on April 13 -- players couldn’t help but react to the robot’s presence.
𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗼𝗻! 𝗪𝗲'𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗜𝗣𝗟 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗻 👀
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 13, 2025
It can walk, run, jump, and bring you a 'heart(y)' smile 🐩❤️
And...A whole new vision 🎥
Meet the newest member of the #TATAIPL Broadcast family 👏 - By @jigsactin
P.S: Can you help us in… pic.twitter.com/jlPS928MwV
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Axar Patel looked visibly puzzled, Hardik Pandya greeted it with a big smile and Reece Topley seemed surprised as the robot suddenly moved toward him. Former New Zealand cricketer and IPL commentator Danny Morrison introduced the robot in a video shared by the IPL on social media.
“It walks, it runs, it greets—but above all, it brings a fresh perspective to broadcasting with the heart of a pet,” Morrison said.