With the ODI World Cup in India in less than seven months, Shastri thinks it’s a good time to give it a try, giving the ODI a new breath of life.
“For one-day cricket to survive, I think it should be reduced to over 40 games in the future,” the former India captain said on day four of the fourth India-Test. Australia in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Shastri said the game should respond to the reduced attention span of spectators and pointed out that when India led by Kapil Dev won the ODI World Cup in 1983, it was a tournament at 60 players before it was reduced to 50. on the deal.
“The reason I say that is because when we won the World Cup in 1983 it was a game over 60 (one side). Then people’s attention span went down. and it became a game over 50. I think the time has come for it to become a game over 40. Evolve with the times. Reduce the format,” added Shastri.
Although Shastri’s logic regarding attention spans is justified, once the World Cup was moved to the subcontinent in 1987, it was not possible to run games longer than 120 hours. with two breaks – lunch and tea as happened during the first three. editions in England.
The legendary cricketer said the T20 format would continue to bring big money into the game, although he made his displeasure known for the T20I bilateral series, saying they “should be reduced”.
Shastri is also a big advocate for reducing the number of bilateral series.
“I think the T20 format is the key. It’s the injection the game needs to evolve. It’s the cash cow for the sport. But I think that there too the bilaterals (series) should be reduced There are enough national leagues in the world that promote T20 play.
“We should let those leagues happen and then have a World Cup, just in between. Very few bilateral fixtures, if necessary before a World Cup or something. Then you can maintain all three formats,” Shastri added.
The former player added that Test cricket will continue to enjoy its place of honor as it was the ‘real thing’.
“Test cricket will remain Test cricket and it should be given paramount importance. This is the real thing. I think there is a place for all formats in India. Especially in the sub-continent. Especially in places like Australia.”
Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik has also said the ODI format is losing its charm and the World Cup in India in October-November this year could be the last iteration.
“The ODI format has lost its charm. We may see the last World Cup later this year or maybe another after. People want to see Test cricket, which is the most authentic form of cricket and the T20 for entertainment,” Karthik said.
He added that with so much cricket taking place around the world to accompany the proliferation of domestic T20 leagues, the ODI format had been caught in “no man’s land”.
“Test cricket is like art films and T20 is a commercial cinema. ODIs are present in no man’s land. Take the example of Ben Stokesthe best all-rounder of the current era saying he’s done with ODI cricket.
“It is a fact that with a T20 World Cup scheduled every two years, countries will no longer play bilateral series. There will not be enough ODI matches.”
(With PTI entries)
