Jos Buttler on future of ODI cricket: ‘It has been pushed towards the margins’

Over the last several years, there has been a growing consensus that the ODI format is coming to an end, and England captain Jos Buttler agrees. Buttler, an ODI World Cup champion, believes the format has been pushed to the margins and is doubtful of its importance or future.

“I’m unsure, to be honest,” he told reporters on the eve of the first one-day international against India in Nagpur.

“I think I’ve actually really enjoyed 50 over cricket, it’s always been one of my favourite formats actually, but it’s certainly been pushed a little bit towards the margins, in the recent years,” he said.

As it stands, the men’s Cricket World Cup is expected to continue, with broadcast rights sold in India until the 2027 edition, which will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, and by India and Bangladesh in 2031. But the issue is: how long will it survive? At a time when attention spans appear to be dwindling and T20 cricket maintains its inexorable dominance over the sport’s calendar, the future of ODI is under threat.

Buttler also blames the packed schedule and the rise of the T20 leagues around the cricketing circuit.

“The way scheduling is, and obviously the rise of T20 and franchise cricket, “he said.