Gary Stead, New Zealand men’s team head coach has said that while cricket pundits might be predicting the demise of one-day cricket, he isn’t quite sure about it, adding he personally likes the format as it has twists and turns similar to Tests.
The coach of the reigning World Test champions, who recently returned from the three-match series against England, added that with India hosting the 2023 ODI World Cup next year, it is going to generate huge excitement and give a fillip to the format.
Gary Stead Doesn’t Know Whether ODI Cricket Is A Dying Format
Several cricketers, including Australia’s Usman Khawaja and India’s Robin Uthappa among others, have been predicting the demise of one-day cricket with the mushrooming T20 leagues across the world, but Gary Stead feels otherwise. Former India head coach Ravi Shastri had already advocated for a reduction of the existing 50 overs per side in the ODI format to 40 overs.
“I don’t know to be honest (whether ODI cricket is a dying format),” said Gary Stead on Wednesday.
India’s off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had said that he “switches off the telly after a point of time” while watching a one-day match, while former Pakistan captain and bowling legend Wasim Akram also stated that one-day cricket is becoming a ‘drag’ and that the format is ‘kind of dying’.
The debate over the format’s future was further fuelled by the sudden retirement of Ben Stokes from ODIs. Citing his exhaustion at playing in all three formats and a packed schedule, Ben Stokes said he finds it ‘unsustainable’ to commit to the fifty-over game.
Gary Stead Personally Likes ODI Format
The Black Caps have been quite successful in one-day cricket, having reached the last two World Cup finals in 2015 and 2019.
“I personally really like the one-day format still. I think it’s a great mix of a little Test match cricket at times where you do have to grind out some tough periods and also the excitement of T20 cricket and I think the skills of T20 cricket have made ODI scoring go to another level again,” added Stead.
“You’re going to see, I think, more excitement especially with India hosting the next World Cup. I hope it’s not a dying art, I think it’s a great game still to be part of.”
The next ODI World Cup is scheduled to be played in 2023 in India across October and November.