Jhakas | Sanjay Jha
Last week-end I got a SMS message from my brother while I was out for a nice relaxed Mediterranean meal; it read "Sachin Tendulkar has hijacked your idea of 25x4. Check Times Now". I did not know momentarily whether to feel prodigiously flattered or egregiously enraged. There is something magnificently magical about "creative copyright", it is like your own hard-earned effort bearing fruition. You feel good. You feel even better when you realise that you thought of a revolutionary change to an ODI game (not threatened by IPL/T20 then as it was in 2004) a full five years before the game's modern-day Don Bradman did. Or it's supposed guardian angels dressed as TV anchors, ex-cricketer's with spare time or the teeming multitude of self-appointed "experts".
When I first conceived the two innings per team ODI game (25x4), one of the principal factors affecting me (besides others given in the detailed proposal) was the "toss factor" brought home during India's enchanting South African safari six years ago. The spin of the charmed coin became a highly charged contentious and conspicuous issue during the semifinals of the World Cup in South Africa 2003 between Kenya and India. The then BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya even threatened a venue shift as the evening conditions at Kingsmead near sea-side Durban heavily favored the medium pacers with a lethal swing, aided with superfluous abandon by atmospheric elements. So went the classical theory. Since Kenya had almost trounced us in the group stages, the apprehensions automatically escalated further. With India on the cusp of a resurgent triumph, no one wanted a Kenyan surprise to halt our desi juggernaut. Continue reading below
Ashish Nehra had earlier, of course, corroborated the lurking devils in the air by demolishing England, batting second under flood-lights with entrancing figures of 6 for 23 on 20th March 2003 which was at that time the third best performance in the World Cup. As it actually transpired, Kenya did confirm the Durban "black magic" effect beaten by a convincing 91 runs chasing India's formidable 270, as Sourav Ganguly's team marched to Johannesburg to meet their arch adversary Australia.
Since my proposed formula branded as "25x4" went public, John Buchanan, the former Australian coach has been amongst its vocal supporters. And so has been the ICC.
I am grateful that the ICC acknowledged my recommendations on 25x4 as "interesting" and Dave Richardson, General Manager, ICC categorically mentioned to me in a written mail that "it will receive due consideration by the ICC Cricket Committee". This was on July 5, 2004. When I reminded Mr Richardson about its status a few months later, he responded (on October 28th 2004) stating that "unfortunately the ICC Cricket Committee only meets once a year. The next meeting is scheduled for May 2005". I moved on, hopeful and optimistic that 25x4 was an inevitable necessity, that the modified ODI format suggested would provide wholesome entertainment, besides reducing the "luck element" in an ODI game.
I fully understand where Tendulkar is coming from because I was in Colombo in 2002 when India twice played Sri Lanka in the ICC Champions Trophy finals and on both occasions the game had to be truncated mid-way because of remorseless rains. It makes for compelling logic of 25x4 whichever way you look at it. To save on change-over time, the ICC may consider abbreviating it to 20x4 but the core essence of the format is intrinsically flawless.
In one of the blogs I just read on this site someone advocates that the 2011 World Cup should be the last ODI official match. I do not agree. It is like cutting off the head to cure a headache. This is the chronic problem with those suffering from myopia. They have a view, not a vision.
Thank you, Sachin for backing an idea whose time has come. Even if the idea is not originally yours.
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