Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has expressed his opinion over the condition of the game at the moment, stating his disappointment. He believes that one-day cricket currently lacks relevance, and should undergo a chance to keep up with the times. Such a message from the most successful ODI captain ever should send administrators scampering around.
Ponting’s message will surely be heard by Cricket Australia’s CEO James Sutherland, who is set to meet other cricket administrators from around the world in Dubai next month. The agenda for the meeting is to disucss possible wide-ranging changing to international cricket.
Ponting believes that two countries are just playing bi-lateral series, where one runs out as a winner, and one a loser, with not much changing. While there are ranking points to be earned that affects the teams’ positions prior to the world cup, he believes this is not the best way to incentivise players to give their best.
At a promotional event in the capital recently, he said, "One-day cricket is the game at the moment that is lacking the most context”. Test matches remain the primary format of the game, while T20 is slowly becoming the most popular.
"You just have a one-off series like the Australia-Sri Lanka series, it doesn't really matter, it doesn't mean anything. Both teams want to win the series but there is nothing else riding on it. Maybe each ODI will have some sort of relevance for the World Cup rankings but nothing more than that." he added.
It surely is a matter to address currently, with the game undergoing all kinds of changes. The meeting at Dubai might chance the game as we know it, with a proposed two-tier structure for Test cricket and increasing the participation of associate nations in the game.
Ricky Ponting was the most successful ODI captain in the world, leading the Australian team for an entire decade between 2002 – 2012. During this period, he won 165 of the 230 matches he lead his side in, at an astonishing win-rate of 76%. He lead his side to two World Cup wins, in 2003 and 2011, while being one of the most successful batsmen in the format also.
The mere fact that he is questioning the relevance of the format should sent shivers down the spines of administrators and one can expect a change soon. Exciting times are ahead, indeed.
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