Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has suggested a few interesting changes in T20 cricket. Shastri feels that the bilateral T20I series is too much. Currently, teams play bilateral series which has been the practice since the 20-20 World Cup 2007. Before the inaugural 20-20 World Cup, the bilateral T20I series between teams wasn’t played.
Generally, teams play bilateral T20I series to prepare their squad for 20-20 World Cups which are played after every two years. Meanwhile, Shastri has said that the shortest format of cricket must go the football way where teams play only World Cups. For the unversed, international football teams play each other in the various multi-team tournament but don’t play bilateral series.
“Yes, absolutely, there’s too much of bilateral stuff going on in T20 cricket,” Shastri said on ESPNcricinfo’s Runorder programme. “I’ve said that [before], even when I was the coach of India, I could see it happening in front of my eyes. It should go the football way, where, in T20 cricket, you just play the World Cup. Bilateral tournaments – no one remembers.
The 1983 World Cup winner added that he doesn’t remember anything about the T20I games played in the bilateral format barring World Cup. He also pointed out that during his stint with the Indian team, the team didn’t win the 20-20 World Cup, referring to the last year’s event in the United Arab Emirates. He said that as the team didn’t win the cup, he doesn’t remember anything about it. The 60-year-old opines that teams must play only 20-20 World Cups.
“I don’t remember a single game in the last six-seven years as coach of India, barring the World Cup. A team wins the World Cup, they will remember it. Unfortunately, we didn’t, so I don’t remember that either. Where I am coming from is: you play franchise cricket around the globe; each country is allowed to have their franchise cricket, which is their domestic cricket, and then, every two years, you come and play a World Cup.”
