India legend and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin cast doubts over the future of ODI cricket and predicted that T20Is are the format for cricket to become a global phenomenon. The statement came as the cricket legend responded to a question on whether emerging nations should focus solely on T20 cricket.ย
Ashwin emphasised the importance of adapting to different situations, irrespective of the format and then cited the example of how India failed to adapt to the conditions in Ireland during the recent 2-0 drubbing in the UK. “I think cricket as a whole needs to be learned in a way you get better every single day. You should be able to adapt. The name of the game is adaptation,” Ashwin said during a media interaction following the conclusion of the ETPL 2026 Player Draft.
Ashwin cites example of India’s failure to adapt to Irish conditions
Ashwin further pointed towards Ireland’s series win against the current T20 World Cup Champions as an example of how external conditions can significantly influence the shortest format, forcing players to evolve their game, which the Men in Blue failed to do so. “Which is why what happened recently between India and Ireland in the recent T20 series is a classic example of how conditions can eliminate a lot of aspects of the game that have been developed as a root cause of T20 as a sport,” the 39-year-old added.
Ashwin speaks on the future of T20Is and ODIs
However, the veteran believes that T20 remains the most practical and effective format to expand cricket’s footprint around the globe. In a media interaction, Dublin Guardian’s captain and coach stated, “But that aside, our job will be purely on T20 cricket, and how it can get better. And if the game has to become global and has to become an Olympic sport, the shorter the game, the more viable it is.โย
This follows a long-standing debate in the cricket world about whether a shorter format would benefit world cricket or possibly disrupt the ball and bat balance of the game.
Ashwin argues against this belief, stating that the formatโs accessibility and the opportunities created by franchise cricket would fuel its growth in new markets, exposing a wider pool to elite competition.
The spin maestro backed his argument, saying, “And thatโs how itโs going to become much bigger, and you will see a better sample size of players. Which is also very critical for several of these leagues, which run throughout the year.” He then gave his opinion on what the future holds for the ODI format, saying, “T20 as a sport is here to stay. I am not too sure about ODI cricket.”
Written by Bhavye Dhalla. Bhavye Dhalla is an intern with IndiaTV Digital.
ย
ALSO READ |ย Ellyse Perry to play in Women’s T20 World Cup final despite injury? Coach drops major hint