Reduce the format: Ravi Shastri suggests a lifeline to keep One-Day Internationals alive

India’s former head coach Ravi Shastri has suggested that the ODI format should be reduced to 40-overs a side in order to keep the form alive. With an increase in the amount of T20 leagues across the globe, the health of the 50-overs doesn’t look promising.

Furthermore, there is always a hectic schedule for the players and thus it is important to manage their growing workload.

The former Indian all-rounder cited the example that the ODI format was reduced from 60 overs a side to 50 overs after India had won the 1983 World Cup.

“For One Day cricket to survive, I think it should be reduced to a forty-over game in future and the reason I say this is because when we won the World Cup in 1983, it was a 60-over game. Then the attention span of the people diminished and it became a fifty over game. I think the time has come for it to become now a 40-over game. Evolve with the times. Reduce the format,” said Shastri on air at Star Sports.

Shastri also feels the number of bilateral T20 series should be reduced between the International teams as players are consistently taking part in T20 leagues.

“T20 format I think is the key,” he said. “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,” said Shastri.

Shastri added that Test cricket should be given priority as it is pristine form of the game.

“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,” said Shastri.