England captain Jos Buttler unsure about future of ODI cricket
What's the story
England cricket team captain, Jos Buttler, is not sure about the future of One-Day International (ODI) cricket. He feels the format is being pushed to the sidelines due to lack of space in the schedule and the increasing popularity of T20 tournaments. Nevertheless, he admitted that a lot of cricketers still consider winning the 50-over World Cup a greater honor than T20 one.
Format shift
Buttler highlights decrease in ODI relevance
However, Buttler emphasized on the declining significance of bilateral ODI series, even though the format isn't directly under threat. He said while the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup in India was a broadcasting and stadium audience success, 2024 was devoid of ODI cricket. Notably, India played just three ODIs last year during their tour of Sri Lanka in August.
Format preference
Buttler's personal affinity for ODI cricket
Speaking in Nagpur ahead of the first match, Buttler said that personally, he loves ODI cricket. "I've really enjoyed 50-over cricket. It's always been one of my favorite formats," he said. "But the schedules are always the thing. If you can get the best players on the park, playing against each other in whatever format, I think people are always going to be excited to watch it," Buttler added.
Tournament prep
Buttler views India-England series as ideal preparation
After a thrilling T20I series, India and England are set to clash in ODIs. While India will feature in their first home ODI since the 2023 World Cup, England have a point to prove. The series will be a litmus test ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy. "As preparation goes for any tournament, I think taking on India in India is always going to be a great challenge and as good a preparation as you can have," added Buttler.