'Something's got to give' - Ricky Ponting fears ODI cricket could be played less and less

Ricky Ponting, the former Australian captain who scored 13,704 runs across 375 ODI matches at an average of 42, has raised concerns about the future of 50-over cricket in the global game. Ponting's worry centres on the rapid expansion of T20 International matches and franchise-based tournaments that are proliferating around the world.

Ponting outlined his perspective on how the cricket calendar is being reshaped by the growth of shorter formats. He expressed his view that the balance between different formats is shifting in ways that could affect the prominence of ODI cricket.

"As the months go by and the years go by and more and more T20 cricket is being played and more franchises and franchise tournaments are starting around the world, it's more and more likely that 50-over cricket is probably going to be played less. It's inevitable, which I'm not a huge fan of, to be honest," Ponting said as quoted by NDTV Sports.

Ponting acknowledged that while he has a personal affection for the ODI format, the structure of international and domestic cricket calendars means difficult choices lie ahead. He identified Test cricket as the format most likely to retain its position in the schedule, provided that major cricket nations remain committed to it.

"I love playing that format of the game, but something's got to give somewhere. Test cricket is still going to remain strong as long as India, Australia, England and probably South Africa want Test cricket to remain strong. It will. So something's got to give. And the obvious one is 50-over cricket," Ponting said.

Ponting’s assessment reflects the growing challenge facing international cricket boards as they attempt to balance the commercial appeal of different formats with an increasingly crowded calendar. With T20 leagues expanding across the world, boards must find room for franchise competitions while preserving international cricket. The scheduling squeeze could force difficult decisions, particularly around ODIs, as administrators weigh player workload, financial priorities and the long-term sustainability of each format.