India’s street‑level cricket is moving from informal gullies to organized tournaments, while a European phone maker is pushing a repair‑friendly smartphone model into the United States. Both developments illustrate how low‑cost, high‑volume activities are gaining commercial attention.
Tennis‑Ball Cricket Gains Momentum
In 2025, more than 33 lakh cricket matches were played with tennis balls across India, according to recent data. The format’s appeal lies in its minimal requirements: a small patch of open space, a handful of players and a tennis ball replace the expensive gear, pitches and large grounds needed for conventional cricket.
Private investors are now eyeing the massive participation base. SKV Ventures, a venture firm, announced plans to launch the Velocity Cricket League (VCL), a pan‑India tournament that will begin in 2027. The VCL is designed as a 15‑over per side competition, borrowing elements such as player trials, team formation and player auctions from the franchise model that has made the Indian Premier League (IPL) popular.
The concept follows the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL), which already runs a 10‑over gully cricket tournament with celebrity‑owned franchises. The ISPL attracted 44 lakh registrations last year, yet fewer than 0.3 % of those registrants advanced to the next stage, and only 144 players were ultimately selected for active squads. Those figures highlight a huge pool of untapped talent that could feed future professional leagues.
While the VCL remains in the planning phase, its organizers argue that a structured league could provide a legitimate pathway for street cricketers who have previously been overlooked by larger competitions. The move also signals a broader shift: a sport once dismissed as informal recreation is being transformed into a commercial entertainment product with a clear business model.
Repairable Phones Challenge the Status Quo
At the same time, the smartphone market is confronting a different kind of affordability issue. The latest high‑end iPhone, described in media as the “Burgundy iPhone,” and other premium foldable phones have become cultural touchstones, but their price tags are soaring. As devices become more expensive, they also become harder to repair.
Nathan Proctor, who leads the United States Public Interest Research Group’s Right to Repair campaign, told Wired that there is no technical barrier to making smartphones modular and easy to fix. He argued that manufacturers simply choose not to pursue such designs, raising the question of why “more of our technology” is not built for repairability.
Modern smartphones are often glued together, requiring consumers to send devices to authorized service centers for repairs that can be costly and time‑consuming. The “50 % rule” – where a repair costing roughly half the price of a new device leads many owners to replace rather than fix – exacerbates the problem and contributes to growing electronic waste.
The United Nations’ 2024 Global E‑waste Monitor reported that the world generated 62 million tonnes of e‑waste in 2022, an 82 % increase since 2010. That volume would fill approximately 1.55 million 40‑tonne trucks, and projections suggest the figure could rise to 82 million tonnes by 2030.
In response, Dutch company Fairphone, which has built repairable smartphones for nearly a decade, launched its latest model in the United States. Fairphone’s design relies on screws and modular components rather than adhesive, and each phone ships with a screwdriver. Users can replace the battery themselves; a replacement battery costs about 30 % of what an iPhone battery repair would cost.
The new Fairphone also promises software support until 2033, giving buyers a longer usable lifespan comparable to many Android devices. For American households, the company estimates an average annual saving of $330 while also reducing e‑waste.
However, the sustainability of Fairphone’s business model raises questions. While sales of spare parts and replacement components generate revenue, they are unlikely to match the profit margins of selling entirely new phones every few years. The broader smartphone industry relies heavily on recurring revenue from software, cloud storage and subscription services, which carry higher margins than hardware sales. Fairphone currently does not monetize these services, and if it eventually seeks to scale, it may confront the same economic incentives that drive frequent device turnover.
The situation mirrors recent developments at OnePlus, which exited North America and parts of Europe, highlighting the challenges niche manufacturers face in competing with entrenched players.
Both the rise of organized tennis‑ball cricket and the push for repairable smartphones illustrate how affordability and accessibility are reshaping markets in India and beyond. While one brings a grassroots sport onto a national stage, the other attempts to extend the lifespan of high‑cost technology, offering a potential reduction in electronic waste and a new model for consumer electronics.
As investors and policymakers watch these trends, the balance between commercial viability and inclusive, sustainable practices will likely determine the next phase of growth for both sectors.
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