'G'one-Day Internationals?

While the world is sweating it out over the future of Test cricket, the sword is actually dangling over the one-day format.

All of a sudden, former greats and cricket pundits are divided if one-day cricket should continue to exist. While Shaun Pollock feels one-day cricket is the best limited-over format, Shane Warne has asked to get rid of this format completely.

Then, there are the likes of Harsha Bhogle who want to wait for the Champions Trophy to finish before jumping the guns on the future of the One-Day Internationals.

But what the English Cricket Board did came as a bolt from the blue. It has scrapped the 50-over format from its domestic circuit from the next season. It has also defended its step by claiming that the International Cricket Council will review the future of the ODIs after 2011 World Cup.

So, will the 2011 World Cup be a farewell ceremony for the format that has given us so many wonderful moments?

I wonder if Sachin Tendulkar's greatness, Wasim Akram's lethal swing and Jonty Rhodes's more-often-than-not sensational on-field dives would have been so profoundly appreciated and followed if one-day cricket didn't exist. The five-day version is wholesome cricket, while Twenty20 is pure fun. But like everything, there is a transition zone between these two formats and that's the playing ground of one-day cricket.

I think it's high time the ICC pulled its socks up and did serious thinking over the future and development of each and every format. Doing away with unnecessary and inconsequential bi-lateral series and tournaments is the need of the hour. Equally important is an assessment of the amount of cricket any team should play - no matter what format.

Economical and geographical progress of the game is important, but what's more important is that we respect the legends and the legacy that the game has given us.