11 August,2026 07:43 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Rotterdam Dockers Co-Owners Jonty Rhodes and John Abraham pose for a picture (Pic: ANI)
Former South Africa star Jonty Rhodes suggested that bilateral ODI series may decline in the future, though he finds it hard to imagine a cricketing world without the 50-over format.
Speaking at the jersey launch for European T20 Premier League (ETPL) side Rotterdam Dockers, a franchise he co-owns, Rhodes noted that while T20 did not destroy Test cricket as once feared, the 50-over game faces distinct challenges. The ETPL inaugural edition will run across Voorburg and Dublin from August 26 to September 20.
"When T20 cricket first started, people were saying it is going to put pressure on Test cricket and amazingly it has not. Some of the Test cricket looks like T20 at times; there is some aggressive batting and bowling," Jonty Rhodes told reporters.
"For me, it is always understanding that 50-overs cricket might be the one format where, because we bring in such a fresh crowd and a different perspective into the game, possibly 50-overs cricket might be in trouble in the years ahead," he said.
"From a point of view, we're really fortunate that what 50-overs cricket has is that you've got really passionate fans who will support their team no matter what format or version it is," Rhodes added.
"At this stage, I think there will be fewer and fewer bilateral series... but it is very difficult to think of cricket without the 50-over version," he added.
Rhodes also said that the global T20 leagues could lead international players to retire earlier to focus on franchise opportunities.
Turning his attention to fielding, Rhodes highlighted how player initiative has raised global fielding standards, singling out India's transformation under Virat Kohli.
"(In the Indian team) Virat Kohli insisted that you had to be fit and you had to be a good fielder and fairly robust in the field and athletic, and the fitness levels were important. We've seen the evolution in India of a team that had one or two great fielders to now a team where there's nobody to hide," he concluded.
(With inputs from PTI)
