Sourav Ganguly
Credits: Getty Images.

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly believes that we need to be wary about the 100-ball format in the contemporary cricket. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had recently come up with the idea of introducing the 100-ball form.

100-ball form will include 15 traditional six-ball overs and one 10-ball over. The Prince of Kolkata isn’t really happy with the reduction of overs in the white-ball cricket.

Ganguly is of the opinion that the reduction in overs will even the contest between good and ordinary players.

Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly. Credits: Getty Images.

“It’s actually 16 and a half overs. So from 50 overs, it has come down to 20 and now to 16 and a half. Let’s see what happens. I think they are trying to make 100 a number instead of overs. We will have to wait and see how shorter it gets,” Sourav Ganguly said as quoted by IANS.

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Ganguly added that we need to be careful as the fans should not witness a contest which gets over before it kickstarts.

The former southpaw Ganguly added that the spectator’s view should be taken into account.

“You got to be very careful that it should not be such that before a spectator comes and blinks, the thing is over. The spectator wants the fun and pressure to go on for a certain period of time and then find genuine talent and genuine winners,” he added.

Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly. Credits: PTI.

Ganguly added that the reduction in the number of overs will even out the contest between good players and ordinary players.

The former southpaw added, “The shorter the format gets, the difference between the very good and the ordinary becomes much lesser.”

Sourav further added that it is where Test Cricket stands out. The longest format of the game test out the temperament, skills and more importantly stamina and fitness of the players.

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Sourav Ganguly added that T20 form will serve as fun but the red-ball form is the real definition of the game.

Ganguly
Ganguly. Source: Reuters.

Sourav went on to add, “That’s why test cricket is the biggest challenge in cricket still. It tests you as you have to come and bowl in the morning and then in the afternoon and then at tea time when you’re tired fielding all day, you still have to bowl at 140kps and that’s when it’s tough. It requires concentration, skill, technique. T20 will remain, it’s commercial and fun but the real version will be the longer format of the game.”

The 100-ball form has received mix reactions from former players as well as the fans.

ECB aims to introduce 100-ball form in 2020 and it would be interesting to note how it would play out.

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