R Ashwin advocates rule changes to improve ODI cricket
What's the story
Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has called for major changes in One Day International (ODI) cricket rules. He feels that the second new ball and an extra fielder inside the circle should be scrapped to keep the balance between bat and ball. He made these comments while speaking on his Hindi YouTube channel "Ash Ki Baat," where he also questioned the relevance of ODI cricket.
Future uncertainty
Ashwin questions the future of ODI cricket
Ashwin voiced his apprehensions about the future of ODI cricket. He said, "Before this Afghanistan versus England match I was wondering whether there is any future for ODI cricket." He compared the popularity of T20Is and Test cricket with ODIs, noting that T20Is pull huge crowds as they are shorter. "I feel Test cricket will excel more once the first-class structure of teams like Afghanistan will improve," he further added.
Rule critique
Ashwin criticizes current ODI rules
The cricketer slammed the existing ODI rules, saying that till 2013-14, ODIs were played with one ball. He noted that a new rule was introduced before 2015, allowing five fielders in the circle and bringing in two balls. Ashwin hinted that this rule change was to combat India's spin dominance during middle overs. "I think in many ways that rule was to nullify India's spin domination," he added. He also bemoaned the loss of reverse swing due to these changes.
World Cup worries
Ashwin expresses concerns over upcoming ODI World Cup
Ashwin voiced his apprehensions about the next 50-over World Cup in South Africa, calling it a real challenge for ICC. "The 50 over World Cup (2027) in South Africa is going to be a real challenge for the ICC," he stated. He stressed the game is moving slowly and wondered if there's still a place for ODIs in today's cricket. "I have a question in my mind that is there a place for 50 overs in today's cricket?" Ashwin asked.
Red-ball advocacy
Ashwin advocates for red-ball in ODI cricket
In a final note, Ashwin pushed for the return of the red ball in ODI cricket. He recalled a time when one-day matches were played with a red ball and called for serious consideration of this format change. "There used to be a time where one-day used to be play with the red ball. It is time to seriously give it a thought about this particular format of the game," he said.
Crowd turnout
Low crowd turnout in ongoing CT raises alarms
Pakistan is hosting an ICC event after 29 years, but the ongoing Champions Trophy has experienced unusually low crowd turnout. This has sparked concerns about the format's relevance among fans and experts. Former England cricketer Michael Vaughan pointed out the sparse attendance during Pakistan's opener against New Zealand. Similarly, the India vs Bangladesh match in Dubai saw empty stands, with viral images further fueling discussions on declining interest in the 50-over format of the game.