Cricket, the wise ones say, mirrors life. So it is perhaps apt that one of the formats of cricket, the one-day international, much like life, is experiencing a midlife crisis. The first ODI was played over 50 years ago. Since then, ODI cricket has come a long way. A tepid beginning was followed by its blooming in the Eighties and the Nineties: India winning the Prudential Cup in 1983, its co-hosting of the World Cup four years later, and the subsequent changes in technology and in the economy — liberalisation led to the commercialisation of the sport — played a crucial role in raising the fortunes of ODIs. So much so that by the time India co-hosted the cricket World Cup for the second time, ODI very much rivalled or, some would argue, surpassed Test cricket in terms of popularity.

Yet, this glorious history of ODI could sound strange to the modern cricket fan. This is because some sweeping changes have taken place in the game of cricket since the time ODI ruled the roost. India is hosting the World Cup, yet again, but there is a difference: this time, it does not have any co-hosts. The Board of Control for Cricket in India has by now definitely elbowed out its rivals, the cricket administrations of England and Australia, from their high perch. But the most notable transformation has been on the pitch: Twenty20 cricket has certainly diminished the appeal of ODIs. Would it be an exaggeration to suggest that the public craze that usually accompanies a premier tournament like the cricket World Cup in India seems to be a bit diminished on this occasion? The conjecture is not misplaced. It also proves an old axiom about cricket and life — change is the only constant in both. Cricket has evolved from the days of the pre-eminence of Test cricket to the ascendancy of ODIs to the meteoric rise of T20 — and it will continue to change. It is possible that in the years to come, T20 would be replaced by a new successor on the popularity charts. What must be kept in mind though is that the game’s precious charter — manifest in such values as excellence, fair play, healthy competition, fraternity among others — remains the only constant amidst change.