RICKY PONTING
Ricky Ponting has admitted he is worried about where ODI cricket is heading, with the former Australia captain fearing the 50-over format could gradually be squeezed out by the ever-growing presence of T20 franchise cricket across the globe. Ponting, one of the most successful ODI batters in cricket history with 13,704 runs in the format, believes the growing number of franchise competitions could leave limited room for 50-over cricket in the years ahead. “As the months go by and the years go by and more and more T20 cricket is being played and more franchises and franchise tournaments are starting around the world, it’s more and more likely that 50-over cricket is probably going to be played less.
It’s inevitable, which I’m not a huge fan of, to be honest,” Ponting told PTI. he feels it could become an inevitable consequence of the changing game While he is not happy about the prospect.
Former Australia Skipper Discusses Future of Cricket Formats
During a recent event hosted by the World Championship of Legends, the former captain of Australia confirmed his role as co-owner of the Australia Champions franchise. He expressed his passion for the shorter formats of the game, particularly noting the challenges facing 50-over cricket.
He stated, “I love playing that format of the game, but something’s got to give somewhere. Test cricket is still going to remain strong as long as India, Australia, England, and probably South Africa want Test cricket to remain strong. It will. So something’s got to give. And the obvious one is 50-over cricket.” This comment underscores the ongoing debate about the sustainability of various cricket formats as the sport evolves.