5 interesting suggestions from Sachin Tendulkar to keep Cricket relevant

For those who love cricket, it is not a sport, but a religion. The obsession with the game never really disappears either, especially if you have played it at some point in your life. One can only imagine what cricketers go through after retirement, especially when had long careers. No career has been longer than the man who played 200 Test matches.

It has been more than a couple of years since the Little Master retired from international cricket. However, he is involved in the game in more ways than one. The man who co-partnered Shane Warne to organise a few games for retired international cricket stars in the USA is constantly thinking about the game.

He keeps coming up with interesting proposals to not only make cricket more exciting but also take it to a greater number of people. The times are a changing and the influence of T20 cricket and a generation that needs everything delivered rapidly has changed ODI cricket and Test cricket for good.

There are plenty of tours and tournaments, and it is hard to keep a game relevant especially if it is played across three formats. Here are five of Sachin’s most interesting and innovative suggestions to keep cricket more dynamic while fixing some of its flaws.

#1 Two pitches, two different balls

The most recent of his suggestions was around how India viewed its premier domestic tournament, the Ranji Trophy. Sachin suggested that every match be played on two different tracks – the first and second innings on a green top and the third and fourth on a turning track.

Sachin had also suggested, considering how Indian bowlers struggle abroad, that domestic matches be played with two balls – a Kookaburra ball that Indian spinners find hard to grip and the indigenous SG Ball. The suggestion has merit when you consider how Indian batsmen suffer abroad when the ball is doing a lot off the pitch and at pace.

However, the implementation could be difficult considering preparing two pitches side by side on the same ground and preventing fielders from running on the second one while the first is being played on is tough.

Secondly, it could be problematic when teams are looking for wins and overall improvement of players, in the long run, is not exactly on their mind. It is food for thought for the domestic cricket administrators and can help batsmen and bowlers get the first-hand experience of batting on all kinds of surfaces.

#2 Back to back home and away Test series

This idea has been adopted from the way football fixtures are played in the Champions League as well as in domestic leagues around the world. Sachin proposed that every bilateral series should have two phases – both teams play home and away.

This will ensure that the composition of both teams is more or less the same during the two legs giving the audience a real test of the quality of both teams. An excellent idea to pitch teams in two varying conditions, it could help prevent teams from preparing pitches that are incredibly skewed in favour of the home team.

It would also test the ability of the players to perform, within a short period, under two different sets of conditions. However, this idea will present enormous logistical challenges as organising back and forth trips of cricket teams could be an issue. It will also be a problem given the tight schedules of teams, especially with ODI tournaments squeezed in between tours.

#3 Two innings per team in ODIs

Sachin had written to the ICC suggesting ODI matches be played in two parts, Test match style. Each team gets to bat 25 overs before the teams bat a second time. This was a good idea considering that in some grounds, toss plays a significant role in the outcome of the match itself.

Late evening dew or early swing, too much sun or too much dryness can all have interesting effects on the game. Therefore, Sachin’s suggestion was quite valid.

However, the ICC rejected the proposal on the basis that there was no immediate danger to the future of ODI cricket and implementation of this proposed change didn’t have much support at that time.

#4 Making World Cup a 25-team event

A little disappointed with the ICC’s decision to limit the 2019 World Cup participation to just ten teams, Sachin Tendulkar suggested a radically opposite move. He wanted the ICC to explore options to accommodate as many as 25 teams.

While that is a huge number and could dilute the playing quality of the World Cup, with too many minnows, it could be worked out in such a way that the minnows are pitted against each other so only a few qualify for the main round.

That will give the Associate teams a taste of the big league, something that they don’t have exposure to at the moment. The lack of matches and exposure has led to many good players from Associate teams either shifting base to other countries or calling it quits altogether on cricket.

#5 14-per side teams

The MCA has already given a green signal to this suggestion from Sachin, who proposed that teams should be allowed to field 14 members instead of 11 at the school level so that the best batsmen and bowlers can all play and get a chance.

This novel idea used for warm-up games before the World Cup can definitely ensure more players get a chance at the school level to show their talent and will greatly help to take the game forward at the grass-roots level.

The idea is easy to implement given that teams do have big squads and will be welcome to players, who miss out only because of their strong contingents or team balance and not because of their lack of ability.