Last Updated on 18 seconds ago by Charbel Coorey
Former Indian ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has questioned the long-term future of One-Day International (ODI) cricket, saying T20 is the most viable format with the global expansion of the game.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin shared his views on the future of cricket as the sport is all set to return to the Olympic Games at Los Angeles 2028. The veteran spinner felt the shorter format was conducive to cricket’s growth in newer markets while catering to the increasing number of franchise leagues around the world.
Specifically, Ashwin believes T20 cricket makes it easier for new audiences to follow the sport, and for more countries to compete at a higher level. He added that a bigger pool of competitive players is good for international cricket and franchise tournaments.
Here’s what Ashwin said on his YouTube channel on T20s and ODIs:
“If the game has to become global and an Olympic sport, the shorter the game, the more viable it is,” Ashwin said. “And that’s how it’s going to become much bigger and you will see a better sample size of players. Which is also very critical for several of these leagues which run through the year. T20 as a sport is here to stay. I’m not too sure about ODI cricket.”
This comes at a time when the international calendar is getting more and more crowded. Franchise T20 leagues continue to fill a large part of the cricket calendar, while bilateral ODI series have often failed to create the same excitement outside of the big ICC events.
The 50-over format still has its place with tournaments like the ICC Cricket World Cup and Champions Trophy but the debate over its relevance continues to increase. There is a question asked by many ex-players and pundits about whether there is a place for bilateral ODIs between the traditional Test matches and frenetic T20 game.
“T20 as a sport is here to stay. I’m not too sure about ODI cricket.”
R ashwin
The shorter format of the game is best suited to take the sport to new audiences with cricket set to return to the Olympics for the first time in over a hundred years. Ashwin’s comments have again pushed ODI cricket’s future into the spotlight despite the format remaining a key position holder in the ICC’s global events.
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