India batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has suggested a radical change in the way ODIs are played in order to promote a greater balance between bat and ball.
The 46-year-old, who scored 18,426 runs over an illustrious 23 year ODI career, suggested splitting the game into four innings of 25 overs each.
The 2011 World Cup winner believes that such a change could help nullify the effect of dew in day-night games and also ensure that winning the toss doesn’t provide any undue advantage.
“The 50-over format is the first thing that needs a look-in,” Tendulkar told the Times of India.
“As I had suggested, the format needs a tweak of two innings of 25 overs per side with a 15-minute break between each innings (a total of four innings between two teams).
“The number of innovations that can be brought in are huge. Let’s say there’s a 50-over-a-side match between Team A and Team B.
“Team A wins the toss, bats 25 overs; then team B bats for 25 overs; Team A resumes innings (with whatever wickets left) from the 26th over; Team B then resumes the last innings to chase the target.
“If Team A has lost all their wickets within the first 25 overs itself, then Team B gets 50 overs (25 overs plus 25 overs with a break) to chase the target. Now look at the number of ideas that can be adopted in a format like this.”
In terms of Powerplay, Tendulkar believes there should be field restrictions during the first five overs of each innings. He even suggested an alternative of bowling powerplay of three overs and two overs of batting powerplay in each 25-over innings.
Sachin Tendulkar suggests a significant change to the ODI format, following which 'the number of innovations that can be brought in are huge' https://t.co/OLEkVGuLW0 pic.twitter.com/XOMMDDKqMi
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) November 5, 2019
