Former India captain and head coach, Ravi Shastri is of the opinion that the format of ODI cricket should be changed from 50-over-a-side to 40-over-a-side in order to keep it relevant in today's era where the attention span of the audience has reduced significantly. With the rise of the T20 franchise leagues around the world, the popularity of the shortest format of the game is rapidly gaining momentum, casting a shadow on ODIs and Tests.
"For One-day cricket to survive, I think it should be reduced to 40-over game in future," Shastri said on Day 4 of the fourth Test between India and Australia.
"The reason I say this is because when we won the World Cup in 1983, it was a 60-over (a side) game. Then the attention span of the people diminished and it became a 50-over game. I think the time has come for it to become now a 40-over game. Evolve with the times. Reduce the format,” the cricketer-turned-pundit added.
Shastri also voiced an interesting idea regarding T20Is. The charismatic pundit opined that the number of T20I bilateral series should be reduced as players play enough T20 matches in franchise leagues around the world.
"T20 format I think is the key. It is the injection the game needs to evolve. It's the cash cow for the sport. But I think there also the bilaterals (series) should be reduced. There are enough domestic leagues around the world that promote the T20 game," Shastri opined.
"We should let those leagues happen and then have a World Cup, just in between. Very few bilaterals, if needed before a World Cup or something of that sort. Then you can sustain all three formats," he added.
Shastri also affirmed that Test cricket is the 'real thing' and will always remain 'paramount'.
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