India's legendary Ravichandran Ashwin has called for big changes to ODI cricket rules, specifically advocating for the removal of the two new balls and the five-fielder restriction inside the circle. Ashwin, who recently announced his retirement from international cricket, believes these rules have skewed the balance of the game, creating an unfair advantage for batters and diminishing the role of bowlers. Ashwin suspects that the introduction of these rules was primarily aimed at neutralising India's spin dominance during the middle overs of ODI matches.
Beyond these specific rule changes, Ashwin expressed broader concerns about the long-term viability of ODI cricket. He questioned the format's relevance in the contemporary cricketing landscape, suggesting that its place in the modern game is becoming increasingly uncertain.
“Before this Afghanistan versus England match, I was wondering whether there is any future for ODI cricket. Let’s be very honest with it. In T20Is, there is so much crowd engagement, and consumption is high because it ends inside four hours. I feel Test cricket will excel more once the first-class structure of teams like Afghanistan improves,” Ashwin said on his Hindi YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat.
“But in ODIs, there is no contest. Until 2013-14, ODI cricket was played with one ball. Before 2015, the new rule was implemented where five fielders were allowed in the circle, and two balls were introduced. I think in many ways that rule was meant to nullify India’s spin domination. That is just my take. I think that is impacting the game massively because reverse swing is gone from the game now. The role of finger spin has also been reduced,” he added.
R Ashwin has voiced his belief that the ICC is nearing a critical decision regarding the future of ODI cricket. He suggested that the format's relevance is under serious scrutiny, implying that its continued existence is not guaranteed. He further emphasized his point by highlighting the perceived lack of excitement in the recent ICC Champions Trophy, describing it as 'monotonous' prior to the Afghanistan vs England match.
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“The 50-over World Cup (2027) in South Africa is going to be a real challenge for the ICC. It is on the brink of a decision being made because the game is going so slow. It’s meandering along. I have a question in my mind: is there a place for 50-over cricket in today’s game?," Ashwin asked.
“Until this Afghanistan vs England game, this Champions Trophy was just so monotonous. Ashwin also suggested the idea of playing ODI cricket with the red ball. “There used to be a time when one-day cricket was played with the red ball. It is time to seriously give it a thought about this particular format of the game,” the spin wizard, who ended his career with 537 Test wickets, concluded.