I Am Not Sure About Future of ODIs After 2027 World Cup: Ravichandran Ashwin

Chennai: The One-Day International format will struggle for survival and relevance after the 2027 World Cup once its bonafide greats Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma decide to call time, says former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

While Kohli and Rohit's participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy has created a lot of buzz, Ashwin believes with the expansion of T20 leagues and Test cricket already having its own currency, the space for 50-overs format is gradually shrinking.

"I am not sure about future of ODI after 2027 World Cup. I am a little worried about it. Of course, I am following Vijay Hazare Trophy but the manner in which I followed SMAT, I am finding slightly difficult to follow," Ashwin said on his Hindi YouTube channel 'Ash Ki Baat'.

"Also, we need to know what audience wants to watch. I feel Test cricket still has space but ODI cricket, I truly feel (it) doesn't have the space," Ashwin, India's most astute cricket pundit currently, was categorical in his assessment.

India's second highest wicket-taker across formats with 765 scalps, Ashwin voiced his concern over the future of the format once Kohli and Rohit, with a combined total of 86 ODI tons, walk away.

"Look, Rohit and Virat came back to Vijay Hazare Trophy and people started watching it. We have known that sport is always bigger than individuals but at times these players (Ro-Ko) need to come back to make the game relevant," he observed.

"Vijay Hazare Trophy (national one-dayers), of course, is a domestic competition that not a lot of people follow, but they did (so now) because Virat and Rohit were playing. Even then, what happens when they stop playing ODIs?" he wondered.

Ashwin spoke about how 50-over was once an "amazing format" that produced a player like Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who knew how to control innings.

"One-day cricket, once upon a time, was an amazing format because it gave a player like MS Dhoni who (would) take singles for 10-15 overs before he went berserk at the end.

"You don't have players like that (Dhoni) anymore and there isn't any requirement to play like that, as you are playing with two new balls and five fielders inside circle," said Ashwin, terming modern ODIs is played in two gears --- either a 'BashaThon' or on a slightly difficult wicket means teams are getting out for 120.

As one of the leading voices of the game, Ashwin also urged the ICC to relook at its calendar while accepting that revenue generation is very important for the global health of the game.

"The ODI format has become redundant and to top it, ICC needs to see how they are conducting these World Cups. Every year, there is an ICC tournament for revenue generation pattern, but then look at how FIFA is doing it.

"There are leagues (EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga) happening and they do their World Cup once in every four years. The World Cup is having value as its a marquee tournament. Too many bilaterals, too many formats, too many World Cups, so it's little bit of an overkill," he feels.

Ashwin also said that matches in the upcoming T20 World Cup such as India versus USA and India versus Namibia, at one level, would drive the audiences away.

While many like the legendary Sachin Tendulkar have suggested a split-innings format for one-dayers, Ashwin feels that one can explore having just one 50-overs event, that is the World Cup in every four years.

"If you really want to make ODI cricket relevant, then just play these (T20s) leagues and play ODI World Cup once in four years, so when people turn up for events, there will be sense of expectation. I feel it is going towards slow death."