Ebbs & flows of ODIs a fascinating contest

REGARDLESS OF THE direction in which the final in Dubai goes today, the ICC Champions Trophy has given the beleaguered 50-over format a leg up.

- Tushar Bhaduri

REGARDLESS OF THE direction in which the final in Dubai goes today, the ICC Champions Trophy has given the beleaguered 50-over format a leg up. Seemingly trapped in an identity crisis, neither here nor there, there were fears that it could totally disappear in the not-too-distant future. Test cricket remains the paramount form of the game — at least as far as lip service goes — and the 20-over format the favourite of administrators, most of the fans and a large number of the players as well. It has almost cannibalized the longer version of the limited-overs game, making it almost an afterthought outside of major global tournaments.

There have been complaints that the 50-over duration is too long, the middle overs are boring, with both teams happy to engage in a holding pattern. Similar concerns have been expressed in sports like tennis, badminton and chess, claiming that the diminishing attention spans of the audience need to be catered to.

It's a result of putting cricket, and sport in general, under the broad umbrella called 'entertainment.' It pits them against all other forms of pastimes when the viewer — who may or may not be a sports enthusiast — has a channel-changer in her hand. One needs to grab attention and the only way to do that is helter-skelter action at all times, it's argued.

But like many other pursuits, if one invests some time in a 50-over game and follows its ebbs and flows, it can be a rewarding experience. The format has much more nuance than a T20 game can ever provide, as the various phases call for various strategies and approaches. A lot can go wrong over 50 overs, and conversely, there's always a chance of a comeback after a poor start, both with bat and ball.

In contrast, a less-than-ideal beginning in a T20 match, can often make it too hard to recover.