Former Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri recently expressed his views on the future of cricket and how the rise of T20 leagues across the globe could affect bilateral cricket, particularly ODI cricket. Shastri believes that with the increasing popularity of T20 leagues, it’s likely that the focus will shift towards franchise cricket, and bilateral cricket will suffer.
In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Shastri explained that cricket could follow a similar path to football, where teams assemble just before the World Cup, play a little bit of bilateral cricket, and then participate in the mega World Cup. He added that one of the faculties of the game will suffer, and he thinks it will be 50-over cricket.
Shastri pointed out that with leagues like the IPL, PSL, and BBL gaining traction globally, players have an opportunity to play white-ball cricket, which is their strength across different franchises in the world. He said that with India’s massive population, only 11 players can represent the national team at a time, leaving numerous talented players with an opportunity to pursue their passion for cricket and earn a living by playing in T20 leagues.
“Look at the volume of people in this country; we are 1.4 billion, and only 11 can play for India. What will the others do? They have an opportunity to play white-ball cricket; it’s their strength globally, across different franchises in the world. Grab that opportunity. It’s common sense; it’s their living. It’s their income. Nobody will be able to deprive them of this. They (players) are not contracted by the BCCI. What stops them going?” Shastri said.
Shastri’s remarks shed light on the evolving nature of cricket and how the rise of T20 leagues could impact bilateral cricket in the long run. While it’s essential to maintain the traditional formats of the game, it’s also crucial to acknowledge the opportunities that T20 leagues provide to players and the role they play in shaping the future of cricket.