Make ODIs 40-overs a side: Kumble

By Rahul Bajaj
for Cricketain.com

Published: September 14, 2009

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New Delhi: Former India captain and legendary spinner Anil Kumble has also joined the debate on the future of One-day cricket and has suggested that the 50-over matches should be shortened to 40-overs a side to save the format from extinction.

With the growing popularity of twenty20 cricket, the future of ODI’s has become a serious matter of discussion with greats like Sachin Tendulkar, Shane Warne and Imran Khan expressing concerns about the future of the format. The England and Wales cricket board recently scrapped the 50-over competition from their domestic schedule for 2010.

“I don’t think ODIs are going to get extinct, but there is a little bit of threat on the development of the format. You need such innovations as Sachin (Tendulkar) suggested but my thought is to shorten ODIs from 50 to 40 overs,” Kumble said on Friday on the sidelines of Van Huesen India Men’s Fashion Week here.

Tendulkar had recently suggested that to infuse new life into ODIs, the format should be split into four innings of 25 overs a side. Kumble is part of an ICC panel formed to resolve the ongoing deadlock between the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) and Indian cricketers over the ‘whereabouts’ clause.

In the ICC’s International Registered Testing Pool (IRTP) working group, Kumble is working alongside BCCI secretary N Srinivasan, ICC principal advisor I S Bindra, ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat and Tim Kerr, the chairman of the ICC’s Anti-Doping Panel.

Kumble, however, refused to comment on the players’ concern on WADA’s contentious ‘whereabouts clause’. “I am representing ICC in WADA so I can’t really say anything,” he said. Incidentally, Kumble is also the cricketers’ representative on WADA’s Athlete Committee.

The talismanic former national captain, who guided Bangalore Royal Challengers to the final of the second edition of the Indian Premier League in South Africa, feels Rahul Dravid’s inclusion in the Indian ODI team will add balance to the already strong batting order.

“It’s good to see Rahul’s comeback in the ODI team. I am sure he will do well and his experience will be of great help for the team,” Kumble said.

The 38-year-old former spinner, who has 619 Test and 337 ODI wickets in his 18-year long career with the Indian team, also said that the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side will face a transition problem once the trio of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman hang up their boots.

“They (Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman) are still young and keen to play, so I think it’s too early to predict anything, but any team will find it difficult to replace them. It is never easy to replace a Sachin Tendulkar,” Kumble stated.

Tagged with: Anil Kumble, Bangalore Royal Challengers, ICC, Imran Khan, India, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, New Delhi, One Day Internationals, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Shane Warne, Twenty20, WADA

Make ODIs 40-overs a side: Kumble

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