Reduce ODIs To 40 Overs A Side: Ravi Shastri On How ODIs Can Survive In T20 Era

Shastri cited the example of the 1983 World Cup and said that games used to be 60-overs a side before people started losing interest in the matches which resulted in the format being reduced to 50-overs.

New Delhi: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has said that the ODIs should be reduced to 40 overs a side to safeguard the future of the format. The 50-over format is facing a massive challenge of survival as T20 cricket continues to gain popularity. With players and fans keener on watching T20s and Test cricket being the pinnacle, ODI cricket is losing its significance.

“For One-day cricket to survive, I think it should be reduced to the 40-over game in future,” said Shastri on day four of the fourth India-Australia Test here on Sunday.

Shastri cited the example of the 1983 World Cup and said that games used to be 60-overs a side before people started losing interest in the matches which resulted in the format being reduced to 50-overs.

“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. Evolve with the times. Reduce the format,” added Shastri.

The legendary cricketer said that the T20 format will continue to bring big bucks into the game, though he made his displeasure known for bilateral T20I series, saying they “should be reduced”.

Shastri is also a big advocate of reduced 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 (series) 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,” added Shastri.

The former player added that Test cricket will continue to enjoy its pride of place as it was the “real thing”.

“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.” India cricketer Dinesh Karthik also said ODI format was losing it charm and that the World Cup in India in October-November this year could be the last edition.

“ODI format has lost its charm. We may see the last World Cup later this year or maybe one more after that. People wants to see Test cricket, which is the truest form of cricket and T20 for entertainment,” said Karthik.

He added that with so much of cricket happening around the world to go with the mushrooming domestic T20 leagues, the ODI format had been caught in “no man’s land”.

“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 the ODI cricket.

“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.”

(With inputs from PTI)