"That format will not retain its might" - Aakash Chopra on MCC's suggestion regarding the future of ODI cricket

Aakash Chopra feels the Marylebone Cricket Club's (MCC) recent suggestion about ODI cricket could sound the death knell for the format.

The MCC cricket committee has opined that bilateral ODI cricket should be limited after the 2027 World Cup. They have suggested that ODIs should only be played in the World Cup and as bilateral series in the year preceding the global event.

Reflecting on the development in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra highlighted the reason behind MCC's call. However, he pointed out that such a move could be a huge blow to the future of ODI cricket, saying:

"Is ODI cricket's story going to end? Every year you have a big ICC event and every team in the world has its own T20 league. So the MCC committee said that a lot of cricket is being played and something has to give."

The former Indian opener added:

"If you don't play in the intervening three years, that format will not retain its might. If you play only once in four years and just one year before that, how will players practice this format? So that format will suddenly keep going down. It was already going down, there are huge chances of it having a steep fall now."

Chopra acknowledged that the writing is on the wall about one format being in danger. He added that the problems for ODI cricket are only going to increase and that it seems like its days are getting numbered.

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"This was something that was brewing" - Aakash Chopra on the impact of proliferating leagues across the world

T20 and T10 leagues like the IPL have mushroomed across the world. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra pointed out that the cricket administrators didn't take timely remedial action when the shortest-format leagues started impacting the international game, elaborating:

"This was something that was brewing. When T20 was proliferating, when these leagues were mushrooming across the world, none of the boards or the ICC office bearers thought about what is happening and let's try and wake up and smell the coffee because this is where we were ultimately going to reach."

The cricketer-turned-commentator reckons the boards could consider playing triangular or quadrangular series if bilateral clashes are no longer commercially viable, stating:

"If the boards realize that this format is important for them, they can opt to play triangular or quadrangular series. There is a restriction on bilaterals, no one has said that this format should not be played. You can come up with the formula if you want to keep 50-over cricket alive."

Chopra cited the example of Australia potentially inviting New Zealand for a triangular ODI series when India travel Down Under for a Test or T20I series. Similarly, he feels the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) could invite Afghanistan, Sri Lanka or Bangladesh for a multi-nation ODI tournament when the Aussies travel to India.