Batting great Sachin Tendulkar on Friday (February 4) said that changes in rules and conditions have transformed ODI cricket and led to ballooning scores.
Team India is all set to create history and become the first nation to play 1000 matches in the ODI format. The Rohit Sharma-led side will achieve the milestone when they will clash against West Indies on 6th February.
One of the main reasons why Indian cricket is at the top level is Sachin Tendulkar. The Indian legend is rated highly among the best batters to have played the game of cricket. Many cricketers idolise him and he has shown the way to various players on how to approach their game.
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In his illustrious career spanning 24 years, the prolific Indian batter has scored 34,357 runs across the formats to go with 100 centuries. The Mumbaikar has clinched almost every record to his name, some of which are still unbroken.
Speaking to Reuters, Sachin Tendulkar said that rules and conditions have changed in ODI cricket. He highlighted that batters’ strike rate and average runs scored in 50 overs these days are lot higher than what they used to be in the 1990s.
He added that elements such as two new balls, field restrictions and changes in match timings have completely revolutionised ODI cricket.
"I wouldn't take away any credit from batters, but rules and conditions have changed. Batters' strike rates are way higher than it used to be in the 1990s, and bowlers' economy rates are also higher... average runs scored in 50 overs today is way more than it was in the 1990s.
“Two new balls, field restrictions and change in match timings -- these elements have changed the game over the years,” Sachin Tendulkar said.
Tendulkar said that introduction of two balls in the ODI cricket has effectively killed reverse swing as in early days they would begin reversing from 24th over.
"I haven't seen much of reverse swing. Maybe it reverses a little bit 46th over onwards, because the ball is actually 23-overs old. With one new ball, it would begin reversing from the 24th over and you bowl another 26 overs with that,” he said.
Tendulkar explained how spinners don't get to bowl with a old ball either, making their variations less effective.
"When the ball gets discoloured, you don't see it spinning in the air. That's when an off-spinner's doosra or a leg-spinner's googly becomes more effective.
“Also when the discoloured ball is reversing, you don't pick the shiny side and the scruffed-up side. You take a fraction longer and the fraction lost made a batter's life more difficult,” he said.
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Sachin Tendulkar further said that time change in ODI cricket has made a huge difference as with 9 o’clock start in earlier days, the batter had to bat and plan differently as there was more life in the surface.
He added that had he played the game today, he would’ve continued batting the same way he used to do. He recalled the incident from the 1999 World Cup match against Pakistan, where Wasim Akram bowled 47th over with a slip. Referring to the same, he remarked that it’s not possible in today’s cricket.
"ODIs would start at 9 o'clock and there was more life in the surface at 9 o'clock in the morning. It made a huge difference. You had to bat differently, you had to plan differently. I would have continued batting the same way," said Tendulkar.
“In the 1999 World Cup match against Pakistan, Wasim Akram was bowling the 47th over with a slip. Would you see something like that in today's cricket? No chance,” he concluded.
Notably, Sachin Tendulkar played 463 ODIs for India. He was part of the side’s 200th, 300th, 400th, 500th, 600th, 700th and 800th ODI.
(Reuters inputs)
