press trust of india
Melbourne, March 27: A staunch critic of the ICC’s four-fielder theory which has led to regular run-riots in ODIs, Mahendra Singh Dhoni stated that the current rule should be changed as it heavily favours batsmen.
Dhoni has clarified time and again that India’s bowling has been affected by this rule of not having more than four fielders outside the 30-yard circle.
“It’s my personal opinion, I would like them to change it. In the history of cricket, we have not seen double hundreds in ODIs and now in three year’s time you see so many players scoring double centuries,” Dhoni pointed out Thursday.
“A lot of people might say that a lot of dot balls are being bowled because of that extra fielder inside. If that’s the logic, then you might as well bring all 11 inside the circle to have more dot balls,” Dhoni added with sarcasm in his voice regarding the ICC rule.
For someone who enthralled the crowd with his batting pyrotechnics, Dhoni asserted that he doesn’t want ODIs to be a game of fours and sixes which can make it ‘boring’.
“We have to see. Let’s not make 50-over game like a T20 game because I feel even a lot of sixes and fours also makes it very boring. “The main essence of ODI cricket is how you bat from the 15th over onwards until maybe the 35th over. It is an art and because of this rule, the game is losing its charm,” pointed out Dhoni.
The Indian ODI skipper also called the new rule a ‘harsh’ one. “I feel the rules are slightly harsh. Maybe slightly more harsh on the spinners, who like to deceive the batsmen with their flight or perhaps like to challenge them. Now with batsmen innovating, the bowlers are always at a disadvantage with one more fielder inside the circle,” Dhoni stated with concern in his voice.