A bilateral T20 series between India and England is currently underway. I do not watch the matches live or even the highlights; I only learn about the results through news headlines while browsing online. I just realized that I’m not even clicking to check the scores. India just won the second match, yet I feel no excitement—just indifference. The outcome and the series itself leave me completely devoid of any emotion.
This starkly contrasts with the T20 World Cup, the ODI World Cup, or a Test series against Australia, England, or South Africa, where I find myself deeply invested, tracking every moment closely. Even the IPL, especially in its second leg, evokes a far greater sense of excitement and anticipation, independent of which city’s team is winning. Similarly, I am eagerly looking forward to the upcoming Champions Trophy.
Vedic Gods and T20/ODI Series
Indra, Varuna, Mitra, Dyaus, Prithvi, Aditi, Ashvins, etc., are some of the Vedic gods who are not actively worshipped in this day and age. Cricket, as the oft-quoted cliché goes, is a religion in India. This loss of my devotion to bilateral T20/ODI series feels similar to the Vedic gods our ancestors once revered but have now forgotten!
Why have bilateral series turned into mere commodities, stripped of meaning and excitement? What has caused this sense of indifference, and what can be done to reverse it? Should cricket exist solely for the players and the governing boards, or should they consider the emotions and meaning it stirs within fans?
I tried to find the total number of T20, ODI, and Test matches played by all countries since 2010, but such data wasn’t readily available. However, if one were to intuitively chart a trend, it would clearly reveal a surge in T20s, a steep decline in ODIs, and an overall reduction in Test matches.
The Rise of Two-Test Series
Another interesting trend over the past decade—coinciding with the rise of T20 cricket—is the increasing prevalence of the two-Test series. By setting up an even-numbered series, the cricketing boards are telling us that they are not interested in fulfilling our desire to see our countries win a full-fledged series!
What Should Be Done?
When will market forces compel cricket boards to rethink their approach? Will they ever recognize the need to create schedules that factor in the emotions of spectators and restore meaning to these matches? Or is it only about sponsorships?
My suggestion is simple: discontinue bilateral T20 and ODI series entirely. Instead, we should have World Cups for both formats every two years. The annual cricketing calendar should revolve around the IPL (or each country’s respective domestic T20 league), Test matches, and alternating T20 and ODI World Cups every other year.
Let’s bring back the emotion, meaning, and purpose to our cricketing religion. Let’s bring back our gods.
Hari’s Curries
A Buffet of Reflections