5 Changes that can help reinvigorate ODI cricket

The 2015 cricket World Cup, played in Australia and New Zealand, could have been a watershed moment for One-Day International (ODI) cricket. Prior to the marquee tournament, interest in this form of the game was waning rapidly. Hopes were, hence, being laid on the World Cup to help infuse some much-needed impetus the format needed. That, sadly, wasn’t really to be. Although the tournament was followed avidly by cricket hungry fans, it couldn’t really raise the bar of ODI cricket as a whole. For save New Zealand’s gallant act throughout the championship, there were very few things that one thoroughly enjoyed in the event. Mammoth scores were made, bowlers were plundered ruthlessly for bucketful of runs and several one-sided contests drained the enthusiasm of the fans. So in all, the World Cup too followed the same pattern that ODI cricket has been following these past few years. There are a number of ODI matches being played currently that are turning out to be bland and boring affairs; failing to generate any genuine interest from global cricket fans. At the same time, T20 cricket has made its way into the hearts of people and is steadily rising the popularity charts globally with each passing season. For ODI cricket to remain alive and kicking it needs some novel modifications that can help revive it; we can’t have a laissez-faire attitude towards it anymore. Let us then look at some changes in this format that the panjandrums of world cricket should consider. 1. Splitting matches into 25-over per innings: WACA Ground, Australia. (© Getty Images) This has been a long considered idea, going as far as six years back, but, for some reason, never sees light of the day. The formula of this idea is pretty simple: instead of batting for 50 overs, each team will instead get to bat for two innings of 25 overs; taking the same method that a Test match does. There are a lot of productive uses of this method. For one, it will nullify the advantage or disadvantage any team gets by bowling second in day-night ODIs. Secondly, it will also force captains and players to think out of the box and bring in new strategies for victory. And more importantly, it will bring in some much needed air of uncertainty ODI matches which are heavily one-sided these days. The idea has its fair share of backers and detractors. But it needs to be genuinely tried out once to at least see if it can be successful. 2. 12 overs for two bowlers: Mohammed Shami. (Photo Source : Getty Images) Currently, ODIs are unduly and heavily favoured towards batsmen. Pitches are routinely flat and batsmen have a field day as they milk bowlers through the day with relative ease. On those rare occasions where a bowler gets going, finds a rhythm and has batsmen hopping on his toes, he is restricted after a point. Why? Because he can only bowl 10 overs. This rule really needs to be changed and reconsidered immediately. The two best bowlers from the team should be allowed by his captain to bowl at least 12 overs. This would provide more balance to the game and is also likely to produce more excitement in several nail-biting encounters; batsmen won’t be able to merely ‘see off’ the best bowlers of the opposition side then. 3. Leniency on wides: David Shepherd. (© Getty Images) The wide rule in ODI cricket – particularly the leg-side one – is stunningly harsh towards the bowlers. They just have to bowl an inch, even marginally so, outside the batsmen’s legs and out go the umpire’s hands. For very obvious reasons, this rule needs to be revised. Bowlers, in any case, have it extremely rough in the shorter format these days. The leg-side wide rule further adds to their woes. Extending the ‘mark’ of the wides by a few inches would help bowlers in outfoxing the batsmen when they are being pummeled for runs on flat decks. It would also mean that the batsman, in case he is being bogged down by the bowler on the leg-side courtesy this rule, will be forced to come out with varied shots to counter it. This could, hence, alter the balance of ODI cricket in a defining way. 4. Limits on boundaries: Sam Billings. (© Getty Images) While cricket grounds in Australia have huge boundaries and England and South Africa have decent standard ones, the stadiums in New Zealand, and almost all the ones in the sub-continent, have shockingly small boundaries. Hence, you see batsmen nonchalantly smiting bowlers over the boundary ropes without much effort in the sub-continent and on grounds in New Zealand. Hell, even outside edges sail over for sixes there. This results in massive scores but hardly any entertaining cricket. The bowlers are forced to bowl flat and the matches become insipid to watch. To reduce the sport to a spectacle of boundaries and sixes is doing it great disservice. There should hence be a strict standard set by the apex cricket body regarding the boundary limit – of about 70 yards straight and about 75 yards on both the square boundaries – and every cricket playing nation in the world should be made to follow it. This will give a boost to the bowlers in several ways and make games more evenly contested and exciting. 5. New ball after 25 overs: Wahab Riaz. (© Getty Images) When Wahab Riaz spewed venom in his encounter with Australia in the 2015 World Cup quarter-final, everyone watched it with bated breath. He bowled fast, he bowled viciously and he had the batsmen dancing to his tunes. Now imagine, if he took a break and came back to bowl again; this time with a new ball in his hands. Won’t that really spice things up? Like in Test cricket, where, after the end of 80 overs, a captain has the option of getting a new ball for his bowlers, ODI cricket too should allow a new ball (from both ends) at the end of 25 overs in each innings. Currently, in any case, the middle period is the phase where ODIs become rather dull and monotonous. But if the fast bowlers get a chance to have a new and shining cherry in their hands at that stage, they can then make it talk and batsmen won’t be able to just cream them at will. It will spice up the proceedings, as the batsmen – even of the middle-order – would have to negotiate the swinging new ball and a mundane game can be brought back to life within a few overs. There is no denying that the 50-over format of the game is in crying need for some sweeping changes to make it more appealing for the public, who have long developed a taste for T20 games. If the International Cricket Council fails to do so, then we may well be witnessing the death of this format as T20 takes over. Instead of letting that happen, the powers that be can consider these above mentioned suggestions to reinvigorate ODIs. Applying it over a period of time may well bear some fruitful results. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal views and opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not necessarily reflect the views of CricTracker and CT does not assume any implied responsibility or liability for the same.

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5 Changes that can help reinvigorate ODI cricket

2. 12 overs for two bowlers:

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