Watching IPL more fun online than on television?

The popularity of interactive comments on indiatimes.com can be gauged from the sheer volume of comments that pour in during every match.

The suspense was killing Kamal Pandit. With a flight to catch, he was on his way to the airport. But that meant he'd miss out on a gripping run chase as Royal Challengers Benglore underwent a

rollercoaster ride while trying to overhaul the target posed by Delhi Daredevils. That's when a friend suggested he whip out his laptop and follow the game online.

"I thought watching online would, at best, be a poor substitute for TV, but it actually turned out to be a much better experience," he told TOI. "Of course you follow the game, but you also get to watch highlights of previous matches, and clips of incredible moments both on and off the field. The best part is you get to see these whenever you choose to, rather than when the broadcaster decides to show them."

The feature that really bowled over Kamal, though, was the interactive comments. "With lots of other viewers posting comments simultaneously and online discussions going on ball-by-ball, it's almost like being present at the stadium, surrounded by other fans. Plus you can invite your friends to join in and happily chat about the game with them, throughout the match. One of the best parts about watching sports live is the interaction with other fans, and online comments really help recreate that environment," he said.

The popularity of this feature can be gauged from the sheer volume of comments that pour in during every match. Indiatimes CEO Rishi Khiani said, "We routinely receive one comment per second during a match, which can spike up to three comments per second during exciting periods. Indians are passionate about cricket and love talking about it, and what better way to do so than online? You can catch up with old friends, make new ones, share stats and trivia, get involved in debates - and do all this without missing a single ball."

Now, can you do all that while watching a match on TV alone? Of course, one downside is that you still need an internet connection. But then, as millions of surfers would point out, sometimes it's easier to be online than in front of a TV -- especially if you're travelling. Or working in office -- late or early, depending on which part of the world you're in!