Sachin Tendulkar identified flaws in the present ODI format and proposed major changes.
Sachin Tendulkar believes that in order to maintain the primacy and attractiveness of Test cricket, the emphasis should be on garnering more eyeballs rather than how many days the match lasts. The legendary cricketer is also finding current ODI cricket, a bit of a drag and wouldn’t mind a shift in format. Three Border-Gavaskar Tests between India and Australia recently concluded in less than two and a half days, prompting widespread criticism of pitches, but Tendulkar said it is part of a cricketer’s job to play on various surfaces.
“We need to realize one thing that Test cricket should be engaging and it should not be about how many days it lasts, five days or whatever. “We (cricketers) are meant to play on different surfaces, whether it’s a bouncy track, a fast track, a slow track, a turning track, swinging conditions, seaming conditions, or different balls,” Tendulkar said on Sports Tak.
He also stated that, at a time when the ICC, MCC, and other cricketing organizations are discussing making Test cricket more entertaining and the No. 1 format, matches lasting three days would be beneficial. Furthermore, touring teams should not expect featherbeds and should make comprehensive preparations.
“There are no easy circumstances when touring. You must first comprehend what is going on, then assess everything and begin planning. The type of surface we play on is the most significant factor for me because it is at the heart of Test cricket.
“All of us, including the ICC, MCC, and others, are conversing about Test cricket. How Test cricket can maintain its position as the premier version. So, if we want that, we need something for the bowlers, because bowlers pose a question (off) every ball, and the batter must respond. So, how are you going to get more eyeballs if the topic itself isn’t interesting?
He suggested sports should be result-oriented and everyone should go home knowing “who won, who lost”.
“We shouldn’t be too concerned with the amount of days. I believe it should be whether or not the game was thrilling enough. Nobody wants to go home not knowing who triumphed and who lost,” Tendulkar added.
He also stated that there was no damage in passing the new ball to a spinner if the surface required it.
Tendulkar agreed that the format was becoming monotonous and proposed a way to make it more entertaining. Former India coach Ravi Shastri wanted ODI cricket to change with the times and become a 40-over-a-side affair.
“Without a question, it’s becoming monotonous. It is divided into two sections. The first is the current format, and the second is how I believe it should be performed.
