Dear Mr Srinivasan, I am a native of Uttar Pradesh currently residing in the state of Jharkhand. I am 29 and just like you I have been a cricket fan all of my life.
My letter to you is related to the state of the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup.
It is quite open that ICC has decided to reduce the next World Cup to just 10 teams. Because of this reduction there will be reduced chances for associate countries to be present at the main round of World Cup as the top associates will have to play qualifiers against bottom ranked Test nations.
So there is a very realistic chance that none of the associate cricket nations will get to participate in World Cup.
Due to the already busy schedule it is very difficult to incorporate matches for top Test countries against top associate countries in the Future Tours Programme. In such a scenario, the World Cup is the only chance for these countries to play cricket in front of a global audience.
These small cricket countries may be short on skill and experience but they are not short on effort and perseverance, and have sometimes managed to create a shock against all odds, thus bringing huge joy to their fans back home and to the global audience who watch them.
Secondly, in the increasingly globalised world where football is trying to expand in India, cricket should take the steps to maintain its pre-eminent position as India’s favourite sport and the world’s favourite bat and ball sport.
When new teams take part in World Cup, then people in new places get to discover cricket. With increased awareness in new places, the Indian cricket team can easily take its place among some of the most iconic team names in world sport like the New Zealand All Blacks, the Green Bay Packers and Manchester United.
Cricket is also facing a huge challenge from football in western countries like England and Australia, and to some extent in India. By reducing the World Cup to 10 teams we are unexpectedly fuelling regressive forces, cricket will face continuous erosion in its popularity against football and other sports that are trying to expand.
Further, it has been proposed that the World T20 will now be held once every four years. This will also reduce chances for associate teams to play at top level.
Therefore it is my heartfelt request to you as a fellow cricket fan to use your position in the ICC to maintain the ODI World Cup in its current format of 14 teams. If that’s not feasible, then at least in the format of the 1996 World Cup.
A vibrant and multicultural World Cup that welcomes increased participation of new countries is in best interest of Indian and world cricket.
I hope you will consider what I am trying to convey in this letter.
Camo McD
Roar Guru
Exactly right Rishabhm. I wrote an article myself recently about how the Big three have stolen cricket. The reduction in teams for the next world cup is a disgrace. If they're really worried about the length of the tournament they could (and should) play 2-3 matches every day during the group stage. Dave Richardson was frankly embarrassing last week trying to justify the reduction in teams and the lack of opportunity for the associates while at the same time insisting the ICC are interested in growing the game. Ireland and Scotland for instance do have talented, professionally contracted players now and are very well run. With some more fixtures against the top teams they could quickly improve further. Unfortunately it seems they will continue to be starved of opportunities and support unless something changes and will probably regress like Kenya who could have also developed into a good side if they had received some investment and matches.
Nikhil
Roar Rookie
Well said and I totally agree except for one sad truth; neither Srinivasan nor the ICC care one hoot about the good or future of cricket; sadly. Here is my open letter to Srinivasan (on Roar): http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/11/04/open-letter-to-narayanaswami-srinivasan-former-president-of-the-board-of-control-for-cricket-in-india/
Johnno
Guest
Dave2136 Rugby league was also, but now they've got more ambitous to expand.
Sam
Guest
I doubt he is going to read this on here.Mail it to him.
Ray Bullock
Guest
That wouldn't take the top off a hard boiled egg.
Dave2136
Guest
Great article. Not growing is shrinking. Cricket is surely the only sport in the world whose strategy is to contract rather than expand. IPL has peaked commercially. India are a middling attraction at very best outside their own shores especially now with no Tendulkar. . The West Indies, whose exploits three decades ago are still the most salient reason Aus cricket survives to this day, are allowed to decline into farce. The BCCI, ECB and Cricket Australia hilariously think they alone are interesting enough to carry cricket into the future. How long until the ashes are annual? Can't wait for that. Keep taking the Indian TV money, but Cricket Aus et al may have to find something other than the game to invest it in, because there may not be much happening at international level soon.
pjm
Roar Rookie
You're not going to find much support here for those views. Many Australians see the WC as too long already and that many countries don't deserve to be in it. A second tier World Cup would be much better for these countries and a relegation system can be brought in where 1-2 Associate countries participate at each WC. This 2nd tier WC would be 1-2 years before the main WC and the winner and runner up, if there are 2 spots, go on to the WC.
Richard Islip
Roar Rookie
EXCELLENT!
Johnno
Guest
The India monopoly has to end. They do nothing but monopolies the game for there own agenda, and only cause negative problems and trouble for World cricket, we'd be better off without them. Sure they bring in money and give that to some of the weaker nations e.g. West Indies,Bangaldesh,Zimbabwe, but all in the name of cynical vote grabbing not actually progressing the,. The world cup format is long and tiresome, all for the agenda of making sure India makes the quarter finals at least. Soccer no country has such control, it's a farce. And soccer survives comfortably without or china being strong at soccer, cricket doesn't need India it survived for years with out it ever being a force, only the mid-90's last 20 years have the money bags of India been influental , cricket is a lot older than 20 years, wake up. World series cricket was great and no India was running that but an aussie. The voting system has to change and India's influence needs to stop, and the Associate nations need to be given opportunities to develop, many which have more potential than Zimbabwe or Bangladesh.