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'That's very scary for the format': Ashwin feels ODIs need to find ‘relevance’, suggests 'crucial' change
T20 cricket has witnessed an upward trajectory in its popularity, with some of the game's greatest players, including former India coach Ravi Shastri, advocating for more franchise-based T20 leagues.
As India and England are engaged in a three-match ODI series, spinner R Ashwin feels the 50-over cricket needs to find its relevance, with it now being considered an extended form of the T20 format without the “ebbs and flows". T20 cricket has witnessed an upward trajectory in its popularity, with some of the game's greatest players, including former India coach Ravi Shastri, advocating for more franchise-based T20 leagues.
"It's a question of relevance and I think ODI cricket needs to find its relevance. It needs to find its spot," noted Ashwin on the upcoming show of the 'Vaughany and Tuffers Cricket club podcast'. The podcast is hosted by former England captain Maichael Vaughan and spinner Phil Tuffnell.
"The greatest beauty of one day cricket is – sorry was – the ebbs and flows of the game. People used to bide their time and take the game deep. The one-day format used to be a format where bowlers had a say," added Ashwin, who has 151 wickets from 113 ODIs.
Ashwin, who religiously follows the sport, also admitted turning off his TV after a point while watching an ODI match. "Even me as a cricket badger and a cricket nut, I switch off the TV after a point and that's frankly very scary for the format of the game. When those ebbs and flows go missing, it's not cricket anymore. It is just an extended form of T20," he said.
Ashwin also suggested a major change, which can be adopted in the 50-over format to make the contest more even between the bat and the ball. He said instead of using two new balls per innings, only one ball should be used.
"I think one ball is something that would work and spinners would come into the game to bowl more at the back end. Reverse swing might come back in, which is crucial for the game," noted the carrom ball specialist.
Ashwin's remarks come at a time when South Africa have withdrawn from playing the scheduled three-match ODI series against Australia in order to avoid any clash during their domestic T20 competition.
"I would also say we need to go back to the ball we used around 2010. I don't think we use the same ones anymore," the off-spinner further stated.
