Former Australia captain Aaron Finch said that ODIs to be reduced to 40 overs a side to attract more crowds and people’s interest. He also believes that the current 50-over format is “too long” and it also feels “so slow” because of the over rates as well. However, ODI cricket is feared to be quickly losing its place as Tests continue to get support from traditionalists and T20Is attract younger generations more as well.

“I think it goes to 40 overs, I’d love to see that,” Aaron Finch said on ESPNcricinfo. “In England, they used to have the pro-40 and that was a huge competition. I think the game’s gone too long, in my opinion. The speed that the teams bowl their 50 overs is so slow, it’s down around 11 or 12 overs/hour and that’s not acceptable. People will argue that maybe it’s a glorified T20 game but it’s about the crowds.”

However, another former Australian cricketer, Callum Ferguson, has said that he’d still stick to 50-over “ebbs and flows” for the main competition but he felt that Aaron Finch’s 40-over idea could be more competitive for struggling teams like the West Indies.

“I am not quite sold on that for every series. I think when you’ve got the big dogs all playing against each other, I still think the 50-over game’s electric, and the ebbs and flows are wonderful but when they are so one-sided, when you’ve got the West Indies… who are trying to fight their way back into the World Cup, they are so off the track, I think 40 overs might suit that type of series, it might bring them closer together,” Aaron Finch concluded.