Are the new ODI rules meant to rejuvenate the game or is it plain stupidity?

Scott Styris of New Zealand attempts a switch hit during the Fifth NatWest Series One Day International match between England and New Zealand at Lord’s

The problem with this rule is that even though the bowler is offered a little more, the batsman still holds considerable advantage in this change as he gets to exploit the field restrictions with a harder ball for the greater part of the game. Not only that, the possibility of reverse swing that is prominent in sub-continent conditions is entirely obliterated. If you thought that was not enough, think about the poor spinner. He will have to ply his trade with a new ball which is extremely frustrating even if you take into account the fact that spinners have gotten used to bowling with a new ball in T20 cricket. But this is not T20 is it? Or rather it was not T-20.

Two bouncers an overs are now allowed so the speedsters have a slight advantage, which is a slightly more sensible move. It has been expected for a long time. With the batsman having absolutely no limitations over what he can do (switch hit anyone?), why add restraints over what is after all a perfectly legitimate delivery? There can’t be possible overuse of the short ball because if that happens the batsman will learn to cope with it. It is not a very effective delivery in the slow and dry conditions of the sub-continent if you are not an express fast bowler (and let’s be honest how many express fast bowlers does India have anyway?) The idea is to remove predetermined shot-making and let’s hope it works.

The third and the most contentious of all the three changes is the change in field setting. The batsman already have a free run in the power-play overs with just two fielders outside the circle. Now an additional rule has been introduced that allows a maximum of four fielders outside the circle. Yes, that’s it. Bring the boundaries in, make bigger, meatier bats, free-hits, everything outside the leg-side is wide and you can turn around and play lefty if you want…why doesn’t the ICC abolish running two’s and three’s and ask the bowler to bowl under-arm? This rule means that the game becomes all about big hitting and less about what it was in its initial conception. It was about the smaller arts of running-between-the-wickets and athletic fielding. The game does not need as much change as much the ICC think-tank thinks it does.