Ravi Shastri backs Shahid Afridi’s suggestion of shortening ODI format

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri reckoned that the ODI format needs to be shortened from 50 to 40 overs so that it does not fade away. While the emergence of the T20 format was expected to slide down the Test format, it hasn’t been the case, and instead, the 50-over format has taken a toll. With a lot of T20 leagues around the world, fans are much more into viewing the shorter formats.

Interestingly, Test cricket has taken a different route and is starting to gain more and more popularity. Totals are getting chased down in the fourth innings, which has now left the situation of the ODI format in jeopardy. Ben Stokes’ retirement from ODIs at just 31 years was an entire shock to the whole cricketing fraternity, and hence, it is important to address the situation until another valuable talent parts ways with the format.

It stayed for 50 for too long: Ravi Shastri

Shahid Afridi had earlier suggested a reduction in overs from 50 to 40 in the ODI format, and he noted that the format isn’t interesting as it was before. Shastri emulated Afridi’s words stating that shortening the span will definitely work as he explained the examples from the 1983 World Cup when 60 overs were played per innings. He feels the need to think forward and added that the ODI format has been played for 50 overs for a long time now.

“One-day cricket has become quite boring now. I would suggest to cut ODI cricket from 50 overs to 40 overs in order to make it entertaining,” Shahid Afridi earlier told during his interview with Samaa TV after Stokes’ retirement.

“There is no harm in shortening the span of the game. When one-day cricket started, it was of 60 overs. When we won the World Cup in 1983, it was of 60 overs. After that, people thought that 60 overs were a bit too long. People found that span of overs between 20 to 40 hard to digest. So they reduced it from 60 to 50. So years have gone by now since that decision so why not reduce it from 50 to 40 now. Because you got to be forward-thinking and evolve. It stayed for 50 for too long,” Shastri said during the second ODI between India and West Indies on Fancode.