Former team India head coach Ravi Shastri opined that the One Day International format of the game should be reduced to 40 overs a side in order to assure its survival in the modern era.
“For One-day cricket to survive, I think it should be reduced to a 40-over game in future,” Shastri said.
The 60-year-old mentioned that this was essential citing the drastically attenuating attention span of the people in the current times.
“The reason I say this is because when we won the World Cup in 1983, it was a 60-over (a side) game. Then the attention span of the people diminished and it became a 50-over game. I think the time has come for it to become now a 40-over game,” he explained.
“Evolve with the times. Reduce the format,” added Shastri.
Shastri added that he felt T20 games are the order of the day, but also mentioned that there needs to be a reduction in the number of bilateral series.
“T20 format I think is the key. It is the injection the game needs to evolve. It’s the cash cow for the sport.”
“But I think there also the bilaterals should be reduced. There are enough domestic leagues around the world that promote the T20 game.”
“We should let those leagues happen and then have a World Cup, just in between. Very few bilaterals, if needed before a World Cup or something of that sort. Then you can sustain all three formats,” opined Shastri.
Shastri also emphasised Test cricket remains the true essence of the game and it needs to be given utmost importance.
“Test cricket will remain Test cricket and it should be given paramount importance. It’s the real thing. I think there’s a place for all formats within India. Especially in the subcontinent. Especially in places like Australia.”
Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik also said that the ODI format was losing its charm as it was caught in no man’s land.
“ODI format has lost its charm. We may see the last World Cup later this year or maybe one more after that. People want to see Test cricket, which is the truest form of cricket and T20 for entertainment,” said the man from Chennai.
“Test cricket is like art movies and T20 is commercial cinema. ODIs are present in no man’s land. Take the example of Ben Stokes, the best all-rounder of the current times saying he is done with ODI cricket,” the 37-year-old elaborated.
“There is a fact that with a T20 World Cup scheduled every two years, countries will not be playing bilateral series anymore. There won’t be enough ODI matches,” Karthik concluded.
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