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England\u2019s Joe Root admits doubts over whether ODI cricket remains \u201crelevant\u201d have not gone unnoticed by players at the World Cup in India, with scrutiny increasing over the future of the format.<\/p>\n
The defending champions have been in desperate form at the tournament, losing three of their four matches to leave their semi-final prospects dangling by a thread, but there are wider questions over the 50-over game as the T20 behemoth continues to grow unchecked.<\/p>\n
Barring a few outliers, including a lively crowd for England\u2019s loss to Afghanistan in Delhi, attendances have been well below expectations in a country renowned for its passionate support and the lack of close finishes has contributed to a lack of \u2018buzz\u2019 at the competition.<\/p>\n
The PA news agency understands there are early signs of concern at host broadcaster Star Sports and The Cricketer has reported that the long-range prospects of the one-day game will be discussed at the International Cricket Council\u2019s next board meeting in November.<\/p>\n
ICC chair Greg Barclay has already said the success of the event can only be judged once it is complete and sources have rebuffed the idea that the format is under threat. They cite long-term rights deals that include 50-over World Cups in 2027 and 2031 and record streaming figures of 43million viewers during India\u2019s victory over New Zealand on Sunday.<\/p>\n
In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports has a direct agreement with the ICC running for the next eight years, including both of those World Cups.<\/p>\n
But Root, speaking at England\u2019s team hotel in Bengaluru, acknowledged the growing sense of uncertainty.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s talk of whether this format is relevant any more anyway, in international cricket,\u201d said Root, who helped England win their first World Cup title in 2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether that gets changed\u2026I don\u2019t know. Who knows how things move in the future? Whether it\u2019s domestically or internationally, I don\u2019t think we play enough of it if we\u2019re going to continue to look to compete in World Cups.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s got a huge amount of history and it brings a lot to cricket. It will always hold a very special part of my heart for what it\u2019s given me throughout my career, but I think it\u2019s a question that should be posed to the next generation of players, and to everyone watching the game, really.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt shouldn\u2019t be down to, \u2018is it bringing the most money for the sport?\u2019 It should be down to what people want to watch, and what\u2019s going to engage the next generation of players. Because in the long term, I think that\u2019s going to be most beneficial for cricket all-round.\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u2019s talk of whether this format is relevant any more anyway, in international cricket<\/p>\n
The issue is acute in England, where the legacy of becoming world champions in the format has been a downgrading of the domestic competition to developmental status.<\/p>\n
The Metro Bank One-Day Cup is now contested largely by emerging players and second-teamers due to its clash with The Hundred, meaning the newest faces in Jos Buttler\u2019s side \u2013 Harry Brook and Gus Atkinson \u2013 have barely played the format and are effectively learning it on a global platform.<\/p>\n
Root is uneasy with that situation and believes if ODI cricket is to continue, radical steps may be necessary.<\/p>\n
The Hundred has significant critics, as a form of the game that is not played anywhere other than England, but Root has put forward the T20 Blast \u2013 reliably popular among counties and county members \u2013 as a potential sacrifice.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t make me change my mind about The Hundred. It makes me question whether we should be playing more 50-over cricket instead of T20,\u201d he said, before backing away slightly from what is a thorny conundrum with no easy solution.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I don\u2019t want to get into a debate about this. I don\u2019t want it to be seen as an excuse (for under performing) because that\u2019s not what we\u2019re about as a team. That\u2019s not how I look at things, but I haven\u2019t got any good argument for anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n
While matters of global infrastructure and international scheduling are sure to continue, England have more immediate problems after their unexpected run of adverse results which, thanks to Afghanistan\u2019s shock win over Pakistan on Monday, have left them rock bottom of the table.<\/p>\n
Thursday\u2019s game against Sri Lanka is must-win to uphold any realistic hopes of reaching the knockouts and Root is hoping the do-or-die scenario can kickstart a revival.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll look at that as a World Cup final now, then do the same for the game after that and the game after that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve played in a number of different England teams \u2013 good ones and bad ones. This is one of the very best; it\u2019s a very together team and we know what we need to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis white-ball team, over an eight-year period now, likes very simple messaging and has responded very well to it. We\u2019ve got some very simple messaging in front of us right now: we have to go out and win. In some ways that unshackles us and frees us up to do what we do.\u201d<\/p>\n