The International Cricket Council (ICC) is thinking about getting rid of the two new balls used in One Day Internationals (ODIs) to help fast bowlers bring back the reverse swing. This idea comes from the ICC’s Cricket Committee, which is led by former India captain Sourav Ganguly. They’re discussing it during their meetings in Zimbabwe right now.
Back before 2013-14, ODIs only used one white ball for the whole 50 overs. It meant that bowlers had to really think and strategize, especially as the game went on. But then the rule changed to allow two new balls, one from each end. With both balls staying fresh until the end of the innings, batting became way easier, and bowlers – particularly fast bowlers – found it tougher to do their job.
If this new rule is put into action, matches would start with two new balls, but once they reach the 25-over mark, they’d switch to just one ball. The fielding side is then able to pick which ball they want to keep using. While the two-ball system has led to a lot more runs being scored in ODIs, quite a few players have not been shy about voicing their opinions against it over the years. One voice that has stood out is Ravichandran Ashwin, who spoke about it on his YouTube channel not so long ago.
Read Also:- IPL 2025 Schedule, Time Table, Venue
Ashwin pointed out that back when there was only one ball, ODIs had a different dynamic. After the rule changes in 2015, where teams could have five fielders in the circle and two new balls came into play, he felt that it aimed to somehow lessen India’s spinning strength. “I think it’s turning the game on its head,” he explained. He’s concerned that reverse swing has practically vanished and that finger spin doesn’t have much impact anymore.
Looking ahead, with the 50-over World Cup coming up in 2027 in South Africa, Ashwin thinks it’s a big moment for the ICC to figure things out. He wonders if the game is slowing down too much and questions whether 50-over cricket fits into the modern sports landscape.
On top of that, there’s also news that the ICC is pondering over bringing in-game clocks into Test matches to speed up play. Just like in ODIs, they might set a 60-second timer between overs and slap some penalties on the fielding side if they can’t get their act together in that time.
Also, there’s talk about changing the Under-19 World Cup to a T20 format instead of sticking with ODIs. It seems like the ICC is really looking at ways to shake things up and keep the game fresh.
