Overview
- Ashwin said ODI cricket could drift into irrelevance after the 2027 World Cup and asked the ICC to adopt a FIFA-style approach with no bilateral ODIs and a World Cup every four years.
- He argued frequent ICC events dilute marquee value and pointed to Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma drawing crowds to the Vijay Hazare Trophy as evidence of star-driven interest.
- Pathan, taking the opposite view, urged the BCCI to stage more five-match ODI series and revive tri- and quadrangular tournaments to keep Kohli and Rohit playing regularly.
- India’s scheduling reflects the squeeze on the format, with no five-match bilateral ODI series since 2019 and no triangular ODI series since 2015.
- No policy shifts have been announced by the ICC or BCCI, with Kohli set for another Vijay Hazare game on January 6 and India opening a three-ODI series against New Zealand on January 11.