Ravi Ashwin: T20 cricket is shifting

Some very interesting thoughts from Ravi Ashwin regarding the one-sided nature of T20 cricket. His frustrations come across loud and clear. Highlights include:

Quote:I am afraid the game is shifting. Skill and finesse is going out and it is becoming a power-oriented game - which is all right, but the ground sizes and the wicket quality need to be readdressed. There is balance that needs to be struck. If you see it only as complete entertainment, then I would agree with what is happening.

I think we can safely say that T20 cricket is another sport. It is probably not a part of cricket.

Quote:Beating him in the flight and getting hit for a six is the trend now. With that happening, you have to push yourself and see what options you have. Probably the best ball is not any more the best ball now. Probably a short, wide and s*** ball could be the best ball to bowl from now on.

I basically think that six well-constructed bad balls could be the way to go forward in T20 cricket.

Quote:Batsmen batting [with] both hands is a problem. When I am at the start of my mark, I am telling the batsman, this is what I will commit to. I keep a five-four field or a four-five field, with respect to what I do. But the batsman is free to change hands, which means I can bowl on both sides of the wicket and the wide call is in the hands of the umpire. He interprets what he wants to do. That itself is a problem. There are the basic rules that need to be tweaked in the first place. I don't know what else can be offered. I don't know who decides all these things, but I definitely think there is something that can be done to try restoring the balance between bat and ball. But as an existing cricketer I will definitely say that we better start finding ways.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/con...11437.html

Is there anything that can be done to even up the contest between bat and ball in T20 cricket? Should anything be done? Or should we just accept that T20 cricket is purely a slogfest and enjoy that for the entertainment that it is?

Quote:Is there anything that can be done to even up the contest between bat and ball in T20 cricket?

You can ban all helmets, pads and batsman protection, and then legalize the bowling of six short ball bouncers. Make the batsman bleed.

Or you can allow chucking. Spin chuckers seem to cause the most trouble to T20 batsmen.

Banning the fielding restrictions will also curb easy 4s during the first quarter of games.

Yeah ....scrap that silly 6 overs restriction !

Allow max 3 bouncers per over: Bring in the line for WIDES outside OFF stump

2.6 pound BATS and below ONLY

Play in Whites

Oh ! and use that PINK ball  8)

Good stuff, guys. The bowler in me is a fan of all of the aforementioned suggestions. I do feel that T20 cricket has tilted far too much in the batsman's favour. False shots from batsman beaten by pace and in flight clear the ropes with ease due to their sheer power. If things keep going like this, you may as well just plonk a bowling machine in the middle and do away with bowlers completely. It is hard for bowlers to stay motivated when you are going for 11 an over and even good balls are dispatched over the fence. Although the lucrative contracts of T20 cricket does help to soften the blow somewhat.

If I were in charge, at a minimum, I would lengthen the boundary ropes, eliminate fielding restrictions and extend the lines for a wide ball down the leg side. I also like the idea of 3 bouncers per over.

In saying all of that, it seems that the public as a whole, and especially the average cricket fan, would prefer to see big hitting and scores of 200+ as opposed to scores of 120. More runs equals more entertainment in their eyes, which means larger crowds and more money. But Ravi is absolutely right, it's just not cricket.

Yeah that line for Wide outside Leg stump must also be extended.

I am iffy about lengthen the boundary ropes vs the restriction on Bat WEIGHT.


IF the Bat is an average of 2 .5 pounds, it cannot be as thick and solid !