Too much tampering with the ODI rules.

                        

Amidst the classical cricket format ie test cricket and the slam bang format of the T 20, it seems that the ODI’s are battling for survival in the long run. The ICC seems to have pressed the panic button a bit too early if the recent changes in the rules of the ODI’s is concerned. The committee consisting of former players should have some logical reason for some of the rules which seem to be a bit bizarre to say the least. Let us have a look at the  recent changes in rules  and try to analyze the effects it might have on the ODI format.

Bowlers allowed to bowl 2 bouncers per over – This rule has been due for some years now and aims to empower the fast bowlers helping them  to restrict the batsmen who are bullying them in the one dayers on flat decks which have nothing to offer for the quicks. This rule will also help the bowlers to create pressure on the batsman invariably resulting in to a dot ball if bowled effectively. Earlier after the bowler had bowled a bouncer in an over  the batsmen could come down the track lining up the bowler  knowing fully well that the bowler was allowed only one bouncer per over. The batsmen will have to think twice before stepping out of the crease. This rule will invariably favour the sides having good fast bowlers and hence India will have very little benefit as the Indian pacers are just not quick enough to exploit this rule. The use of bouncers in modern day cricket has  been on the decline due to the paucity of genuine good fast bowlers around the world.

Five fielders inside the inner circle at all times – This is a very interesting rule and will really challenge the bowlers especially the spinners and the fielding captain. Some experts are of the view that with only 4 fielders allowed outside the circle this could prove detrimental to the spinners who will invariably avoid  tossing  the ball and bowl at a much flatter trajectory. With the modern day pitches very much in favour of the batsmen and the bats getting thicker and stronger by the day, even the miss hits of the batsmen are going out of the park. This rule can become a way of choking a batsman who likes to maneuver the ball for singles and doubles and really does not have a release shot in his armour. All these  tampering with the rules are being done with a view that the period between the 16 -35 overs becomes a tad unpredictable and the game can become interesting during these middle overs. Even during the last 10 overs, the fasters will not enjoy having just 4 fielders outside the inner circle when the heat is on. The captains will have to play it cleverly and will have to gamble at some point of the game. For a spinner, the captain will have to place a fielder at mid –off or at mid –on depending on the strength of the batsman and he will have to bring a fielder inside the circle from the third man or the fine leg boundary at most times assuming that there will be a deep point or a deep mid wicket fielder on the boundary. The spin bowlers will be especially annoyed with this rule. There is also another possibility that a batsman be tempted into playing a risky shot seeing just 4 fielders on the boundary and might lose his wicket in the process if constant pressure is being maintained on him denying him the opportunity of rotating the strike over  with an extra fielder inside the circle.

Use of a new ball at each end.- even though this rule has been in practice for some time now seeing the majority of pitches around the world being prepared for one dayers, it has not been of much advantage because of the fact that there are very few genuine swing bowlers on international circuit. Most of the fast bowlers are  hit the deck type relying more on seam movement rather than conventional swing movement. The use of 2 new balls, one at each end has virtually eradicated the reverse swing phenomenon from the ODI’s with the ball not getting roughened up at all. It has been proven many a times that even a quality batting line up can be exposed if there is enough help from the deck and the bowlers using the age old art of swing judiciously.

All these above rules are being made with an intention of lending some balance between the bat and the ball with the current ODI cricket heavily lopsided in favour of the batsmen. Sometimes we get a feeling that the ICC tries too hard to tamper with the rules for the ODI’s and instead all the cricket boards should just try to produce surfaces which have some grass and help the pacers as well as the spinners who can extract bounce and bite from the wickets.It will be very interesting to see how the captains handle these rules bearing in mind that these rules might end up helping the non sub continental sides who have better quality of pacers as compared with their sub continental counterparts.