India will be playing its 1000 ODI match when they take on West Indies in the first ODI in Ahmedabad. Over the years, the Indian team has undergone several transformations as the rules and regulations changed. ODI cricket has become even more attacking with openers playing a more proactive role. Sachin Tendulkar, who played 473 of those games had seen the game change right in front of his eyes. When asked about the evolution of ODI cricket, he gave an interesting answer.
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“I remember a match starting in Cuttack at 8.45 AM, also at Guwahati. Even in the games in Kanpur, the pitch did something. That element (the new ball operators getting assistance from the pitch) was there. So that was a different challenge altogether. Usually, one would say, Chennai was a hard track. The track there did not allow for big movement off the pitch, upfront.”
He also mentioned how bowlers dominated proceedings in day games. He cited the example of Junaid Khan of Pakistan who rattled India’s top order in an ODI match back in January 2013.
“The ball reverses in Chennai, but one would remember that Pakistan’s Junaid Khan bowled a brilliant spell in the morning and took 4 for something in December 2012. It was a morning match, and there was swing and movement of the pitch. When the games started in the morning, the pitches behaved differently. One had to respect the first few overs. When one looks back at ODI cricket, there was a transformation happening in the way it was played over a period of time.”
He also thanked various stakeholders especially the BCCI officials who played a key role in India’s success in the shorter format.
“We spoke about the transformation that has taken place in ODI cricket through the various periods the game has evolved. It’s been 47 years — from 1974 when India played its first ODI to now — since India has been playing ODI cricket, and this would not have been possible without the past and present players, the past and present BCCI officials, and so many others who encouraged all of us and continue to do so. And the kind of following the Indian team has is only because of the people who have been supporting the game and encouraging the cricketers.”
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