Is it over for 50 over?

Folks, maintain on to your cricket hats as the worldwide cricketing extravaganza — the ICC Men’s 50-over World Cup — returns to the industrial and non secular coronary heart of cricket for a record-equalling fourth version. India — host in 1987, 1996, and 2011 — goes solo, this time with no South Asian neighbours to share the burden or the enjoyment.

But it has been all about last-minute planning for the officers and, extra troublingly, the followers. The last schedule was launched after which re-released, with 10 modifications, with lower than two months left earlier than the opening salvo between England and New Zealand (finalists 4 years in the past) on the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The largest cricket stadium on the planet will even be the venue for the summit conflict.

Even because the glittering trophy took a visit to heaven (120,000 ft above sea degree, connected to a balloon), the followers, who assist fill cricket’s coffers, are largely with out tickets regardless of shifting heaven and earth.

The ICC, although, is anticipating to earn a file Rs 4400 crore from broadcast rights, with followers left to clutch their remotes and popcorns and comply with the motion from 22 yards on screens of twenty-two inches (or extra).

Recent historical past — India (2011), Australia (2015) and England (2019) — exhibits that host standing provides you a leg up, and the Indian followers will hope to see the Men in Blue add to their festive cheer after a dry spell in ICC occasions since 2013.

But a frightening problem awaits Rohit Sharma’s males, who will probably be attempting to emulate the glory of M.S. Dhoni’s 2011 warriors. Virat Kohli, the one remnant of that victorious ensemble, nonetheless bears the load of shepherding India’s batting, which has the behavior of happening trip on the slightest whiff of stress.

In a world the place T20 leagues are popping up like mushrooms after a rainstorm, ODI, like a forgotten cousin at a household reunion, has been feeling a bit unnoticed. The variety of ODIs performed has dwindled because the final World Cup — 465 between the 2019 World Cup and now, in comparison with 496 between the 2015 and 2019 editions. In truth, the highest eight groups mixed performed 126 extra ODIs between 2015 and 2019 than between 2019 and now. Clearly, the format wants a reboot.

However, the ICC’s resolution to shrink the variety of groups to only 10 from the 2019 version (the 2015 version had 14 groups), leaving the newcomers to concentrate on T20s, is like inviting everybody to the get together after which telling some to remain dwelling.

Hopefully, this World Cup in cricket-crazy India will assist ODI regain its misplaced house within the hearts of followers consistently wooed by the romance of Tests and the frenzied razzmatazz of T20s.

But it’s time to mud off these jerseys, seize a seat on the sofa (as match tickets are nowhere out there), and prepare for some basic ODI motion.

The format is at a crossroads, and it’s relying on India to present it a much-needed new lease of life.