Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli (ANI) Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has cast serious doubt over the long-term future of One-Day International cricket, warning that the format could struggle to survive after the 2027 World Cup once Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retire. Ashwin acknowledged the excitement generated by the recent performances of Kohli and Rohit in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, but pointed out that the growing dominance of the T20 leagues, along with the enduring value of Test cricket, has steadily reduced the space available for 50-over cricket.
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“I’m not sure about the future of ODIs after the 2027 World Cup. I’m a bit worried about it. Of course I’m watching the Vijay Hazare Trophy but the way I watched the SMAT, it’s a bit difficult for me to watch,” Ashwin said on his Hindi YouTube channel. Ash Ki Baat. He emphasized that audience preferences can no longer be ignored in shaping the future of gaming. “We also need to know what the audience wants to watch. I feel Test cricket still has a place, but ODI cricket I really feel doesn’t,” he said, offering a stark assessment of the current state of the format. Ashwin, India’s second-highest wicket-taker across formats with 765 dismissals, highlighted how heavily ODI cricket still relies on the presence of its biggest stars. With Kohli and Rohit sharing 86 ODI centuries between them, their influence remains central to the relevance of the format. “Look, Rohit and Virat came back for the Vijay Hazare Trophy and people started watching. We know that sport is always bigger than individuals, but sometimes these players need to come back to make the game relevant,” he noted. Referring to domestic one-day cricket, Ashwin added: “Obviously the Vijay Hazare Trophy is a domestic competition that not many people watch, but they do because Virat and Rohit played. What happens when they stop playing ODIs?” Ashwin also spoke about how the nature of ODI batting has changed dramatically under the influence of T20 cricket. He recalled a time when the format allowed players to build innings patiently and cited MS Dhoni as a perfect example. “One-day cricket was once a wonderful format because it gave a player like MS Dhoni who would take singles for 10-15 overs before going berserk at the end,” he said. According to Ashwin, this style has almost disappeared. “You don’t have players like that anymore and there’s no requirement to play like that because you’re playing with two new balls and five fielders inside the circle,” he said, describing modern ODIs as being played in only two extremes, either all-out attack or total collapse on harder pitches. Turning his attention to the international calendar, Ashwin urged the ICC to rethink its approach while recognizing the importance of revenue for the sustainability of the sport. “The ODI format has become redundant and moreover the ICC needs to see how they conduct these World Cups. Every year there is an ICC tournament for the revenue generation model, but then look at how FIFA is doing it,” he said. He compared cricket unfavorably with the global structure of football. “There are leagues and the World Cup is held every four years. The World Cup has value because it is the marquee tournament. There are too many bilateral matches, too many formats, too many World Cups, so it is a bit over the top,” Ashwin added. Ashwin also hinted that some matches in the upcoming T20 World Cup, such as India vs USA or Namibia, could risk alienating viewers rather than attracting them. When asked about possible solutions, Ashwin offered a sharp suggestion to preserve the relevance of ODI cricket. “If you really want ODI cricket to be relevant, then just play these leagues and play the ODI World Cup once every four years, so when people turn up for the events, there will be a sense of anticipation,” he said. Summing up his concerns, Ashwin concluded with a grim warning about the future of the format. “I feel like it’s heading for a slow death.
