Streaming problems on Disney+ Hotstar disappointed cricket fans during the third ODI between India and England on February 12, 2025. To watch this match, millions of Indian viewers came to the Hotstar platform on TV and Mobile. But, technical problems related to streaming spoiled the entire experience. This incident not only disappointed the audience, but it was also discussed a lot on social media especially on X.
From the beginning of the match, the audience faced problems related to streaming quality. The live broadcast of the match on Hotstar was available only in 480p quality, which is considered very disappointing in today’s time. Usually, on platforms like Hotstar, users get high quality options like 720p, 1080p and even 4K. But, these options were missing during this match. Viewers were forced to watch the match in 480p or even lower quality. This problem was not only for mobile users, but viewers who streaming Live IND vs ENG on TV also faced on their TV all over India.
Apart from this, language-related problems also came to the fore. Many users complained that they were only getting the Hindi audio feed. The option to choose the audio feed in English or other languages was not available. This problem became a problem especially for those viewers who were not comfortable with the Hindi language. Such problems are not usually expected from a big platform like Hotstar, which is known for broadcasting cricket and other sports internationally.
#hotstar walon kya chal rha hai…?
Unable to change video quality and audio language… Getting 480p video streaming 😕
It’s #INDvENG 3rd ODI, please do something #DisneyPlus #DisneyPlusHotstar #BCCI #Starsports pic.twitter.com/FdWNpZXtLi— deshku (@deshku) February 12, 2025
The issue created a strong response on social media platforms. Thousands of users expressed their disappointment on platforms like X, Facebook, and Instagram. Hashtags like #HotstarFail, #Hotstar and #INDvENG started trending. Many users demanded the Hotstar team to resolve the issue immediately. Some even said that they are considering canceling Hotstar subscription due to such problems again and again.
As per the report published on business-standard.com, Cricket fans were left frustrated today as they struggled to watch India vs. England 3rd ODI live on Disney+ Hotstar due to a major outage. Even news18.com independently verified for the outage and were able to access Disney+ Hotstar on mobile but the web version on the TV seems was affected.
This incident has once again raised questions on the technical capabilities of the digital streaming platform. In today’s time, when the broadcast of live sports on digital platforms is increasing, it becomes the responsibility of the platform to provide a better experience to the users. Especially, when it comes to a sport like cricket, which is considered like a religion in India. In such a situation, problems related to streaming quality and language not only disappoint the audience but also raise questions on the credibility of the platform.
No official statement has been issued by Hotstar on this issue while the live streaming of match. However, in reply they confirmed that the technical team is working to resolve the issue and finally after 30 overs they solved the issue and video quality and audio language options started working.
One thing is clear from this incident that digital platforms need to strengthen their technical foundation. Especially, when it comes to live sports, providing a better experience to the users should be the biggest priority of the platform. If this does not happen, the attention of the audience may shift to other platforms, which provide them better facilities.
In conclusion, it can be said that the streaming issues on Hotstar during the third ODI match played between India and England on February 12, 2025 were not only disappointing for the viewers but also raised questions on the responsibilities of the digital platform who advertise watch the match now in 4K and encourage users to upgrade their plan from standard quality to pro quality. Hopefully, such incidents will not happen in the future and viewers will get a better streaming experience.
