Sanath Jayasuriya, the iconic Sri Lankan opening batsman, recently voiced his opinion on the need for changes in the ODI cricket rules set by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Jayasuriya, renowned for his explosive batting, took to Twitter to share his thoughts, particularly highlighting the impact of current rules on batting performances. He suggested that if Sachin Tendulkar, one of cricket's greatest batters, had played in today's era, his run and century tallies would have been significantly higher.
This discussion stemmed from the ICC's 2011 rule change, which introduced the use of two new balls in ODI cricket, one for each end of the pitch. This decision was aimed at maintaining the shape and hardness of the ball, with each ball being used for only 25 overs. As a result, batsmen found it easier to score runs due to the ball's consistent hardness, leading to an increase in overall run rates in ODIs.
Echoing these sentiments, legendary Pakistani bowler Waqar Younis also took to X, formerly Twitter, suggesting the need for rule adjustments to give bowlers a fairer chance in the game.
"ODI cricket is too friendly for batters Suggestion @ICC 2 new balls to start, take away 1 ball after 30 overs, continue with the other. At the end that ball will only be 35 overs old. We’ll see some reverse at the end. Save the art of #ReverseSwing Comments please," wrote Younis.
Jayasuriya agreed with Waqar's perspective, speculating on the enhanced scoring opportunities that players like Sachin Tendulkar would have had under these conditions.
"I agree with @waqyounis99 some changes have to be made. If @sachin_rt had the privilege to bat with two balls and under the current power play rules in our era, his runs and centuries would have doubled," replied Jayasuriya.
The current ODI World Cup has been a testament to these rule changes, showcasing several high-scoring matches. A notable instance was South Africa's record-setting total against Sri Lanka in New Delhi, where they scored an unprecedented 428 runs in a World Cup match, powered by centuries from Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, and Rassie van der Dussen. Additionally, the tournament witnessed the highest successful chase in World Cup history when Pakistan chased down a target of 345 runs against Sri Lanka at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
These instances and Jayasuriya's comments highlight the evolving nature of ODI cricket and the ongoing debate about balancing the game between bat and ball.
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