Jos Buttler the captain of the England cricket team, has expressed uncertainty regarding the future of One Day International (ODI) cricket. He believes that this format is being sidelined as scheduling becomes increasingly limited, coupled with the rapid growth of T20 and franchise leagues. According to him, cricketers currently regard winning the ODI World Cup as a higher honor compared to triumphing in a T20 tournament however, he finds it challenging to ascertain whether this sentiment will persist going forward.
While ODI cricket isn’t necessarily facing an existential crisis, its significance in bilateral 50-over series seems to have diminished sharply. The recently concluded 2023 World Cup held in India attracted large television audiences and spectators at venues. Despite this success, there are very few scheduled ODI matches for 2024—India, who were both runners-up and hosts of the previous tournament, participated in only three ODIs throughout the year up until now. Their upcoming three-match series against England will mark their first clash since August.
Buttler conveyed his thoughts ahead of the initial match while speaking from Nagpur: “I am uncertain about the future of ODIs. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed playing 50-over cricket; it has always been one of my preferred formats. However, recent years have pushed it somewhat toward the sidelines due to scheduling challenges and notably because of T20’s escalating popularity alongside franchise competitions.” He emphasized that when players discuss aspirations for titles such as a World Cup victory, they often prioritize winning a 50-over championship over its T20 counterpart at this moment—a trend whose longevity he cannot predict.
Furthermore Buttler remarked on schedules’ crucial role: “If we can assemble top players from across various formats for competitive matches against one another regardless of format standards, I believe audiences will remain eager and enthused about these encounters.”
The one-day international cricket now lies within the cultural respect Test cricket is given by conventional viewerships and the cricket associations are pushing towards T20s which would catch attention to bring in new eyeballs to the sport.
One-day against India is good prep for the ICC champions trophy: Butler.
The India-England ODI series 2025 will lead toward the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the UAE from February 19. Butler feels these three matches are the right preparations for the ICC tournament.
“A tour in India has always provided a great challenge, and as preparation for any tournament goes, this will be among the best you can get,” Buttler said. “These conditions here in India may be quite similar (to those in Pakistan). Each ground we play at will always have its own nuances and slight variation. We are always trying to adapt to that,” he added.
