Producers are shifting the leading role from actors and comedians to cricketers, changing the show format

At one time, the ODI (One Day International) itself was synonymous with a major event. Although the World Cup is held every four years, between these tournaments, there were other significant competitions for fans, among which triple series held a special place. These tournaments involved a competition between three teams with a league stage, a leaderboard, a fight for the final, and constantly changing dynamics in every match.

The popularity of these series was so great that the excitement was not limited to the action on the field. Spectators watched which teams would reach the final, how many wins each team would need, and under what conditions the pace of the game would be decisive.

In modern realities, where Test cricket has gained the goal of a Test World Cup, and T20 cricket has captured a huge market thanks to franchise leagues, ODI is trying to find its place between them. At such a time, memories of old triple series are particularly interesting, as 50-over cricket did not need external stimuli then.

Kerry Packer is often mentioned in the history of triple series. A dispute arose between media magnate Packer and Cricket Australia regarding television rights. Following this, Packer launched World Series Cricket. To make this league successful, Packer needed the best cricketers in the world. At that time, the West Indies were the strongest team, and Packer's team attracted many of their star players.

After this, triple series were held between Australia, the West Indies, and World XI. Matches concluded in a single day. Bright uniforms and white balls were used, and the television coverage was much more modern than before. The quality of the cricket was also outstanding. The West Indies participated in four of the first six Australian seasons and were champions every time. Even after Packer and the Australian board reached an agreement, this format continued to be held within Australia's domestic cricket calendar.

When this model, popular in Australia, reached South Asia, its influence grew. In 1983, the then Chairman of the Indian Cricket Control Board (BCCI), N.K.P. Salve, began working on organizing the World Cup in India. He was joined by Nur Khan from Pakistan and Gamini Dissanayake from Sri Lanka. During this process, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) was founded on September 19, 1983. Then, in 1984, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka held the first Asian Cup in Sharjah. This event marked the beginning of multinational cricket in Asia. Gradually, Sharjah transformed into not only a venue for the Asian Cup but also a major center for ODI cricket.

In the 1990s, the influence of English cricket began to spread to the Indian subcontinent, and Sharjah became the focal point of these changes. Major players from India, Pakistan, and other countries regularly played here. Celebrities attended the matches, and the popularity of the games on television steadily increased. Long before the era of franchise cricket, Sharjah turned cricket into a large-scale spectacle. By the end of 1992, 29 ODI tournaments involving three or four countries had been held. Of these, 15 took place in Australia, and nine in Sharjah. Thus, the history of triple series in ODI is mainly linked to two locations: Australia and Sharjah.

In the 1990s, international cricket from South Africa returned, and Sri Lanka also quickly became one of the strong global teams. In 1996, Sri Lanka became the World Champion. The number of strong ODI teams in international cricket increased. This directly benefited the triple series. From 1996 to 2008, full member teams held three-nation ODI tournaments in Singapore, Morocco, Netherlands, Malaysia, Ireland, Scotland, and Canada. The four-year interval between World Cups and the limited popularity of the World Cup also made these tournaments important. It was the main way to watch ODI cricket between strong teams throughout the year.

These tournaments saw not only trophies won but also events that influenced rules, tactics, and thinking in cricket. In 1979, in Sydney, the England team had to save three runs on the last ball. Captain Mike Brearley positioned almost all his fielders near the boundary. A year later, New Zealand needed to score seven runs off one ball. Greg Chappell from Australia asked his brother Trevor to throw the ball underhand. This incident caused a big controversy in cricket. In 1982-83, Lance Cairns hit six sixes at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) using a specially prepared bat. In the 1980s, Javed Miandad took advantage of the conditions at the WACA Ground in Perth and scored an unbeaten 59 against the West Indies, including 45 singles and no fours or sixes. In 1986, Gus Logie from the West Indies was named 'Player of the Match' for his fielding performance in Sharjah. This in itself was an exceptional event.

Former captain of the Indian team, Sunil Gavaskar, criticized the excessively dense schedule in world cricket and appealed to the International Cricket Council (ICC) to rethink the sporting calendar. He noted that the constant movement of players between series and tournaments is unacceptable.

In his column for Sportstar, the 'Little Master' stated that continuous matches without sufficient rest can negatively affect both the physical condition and the performance of athletes. This position aligns with the view of Devajit Saikhy, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), who previously linked the rise in injuries to the increase in the number of games.

Currently, the ICC plans to discuss the international calendar for the next four years, starting from 2027. Gavaskar insists that the physical capabilities and limits of the players must be taken into account when compiling this calendar.

He emphasized: 'An Indian cricketer is not a machine nor a sugarcane that is constantly squeezed until the last drop.'

Gavaskar raised issues not only about the players' workload but also about the entire structure of Indian cricket. In his opinion, today the focus is too heavily shifted exclusively onto the Indian national team, whereas the national team is merely a product, not a reflection of all Indian cricket.

He clearly stated: 'The Indian team is not Indian cricket. The Indian team is a byproduct of Indian cricket.' Furthermore, he questioned the assertion that India has sufficient squad depth to field three international teams simultaneously. According to him, having many teams on paper does not guarantee the consistent emergence of world-class players from domestic cricket.

Although the ability to field three teams on the world stage looks impressive, recent results show that even one Indian team has failed to win many trophies.

In Gavaskar's view, the true future of Indian cricket lies not in international teams but in domestic cricket. If priority is not given to the domestic system, it will be difficult to form a strong player base in the future. He added that winning Gold at the Asian Games could restore the confidence of the team and give it energy for future challenges. However, to prepare world-class players in the long term, the domestic system itself needs to be strengthened.

Thus, Gavaskar's message goes beyond a simple demand to 'play less.' He advocates for creating a calendar that ensures rest for players, provides space for domestic cricket, and strengthens the entire system behind the brilliance of the Indian team.

Vaibhav Suryawanshi's batting has amazed the world, as he demonstrated incredible success against bowlers in T20 cricket at a very young age, leading to inflated expectations. Now that he steps onto the field, spectators expect not just good play, but explosive moments.

However, this is where another chapter of the story begins. Players who aim to hit every ball for a four or a six eventually encounter a situation where bowlers begin to use that same haste against them. An example of such risk was Vaibhav's elimination in the Dalip Trophy final in Chennai after a delivery by Vijay Tripura, which served as a warning about this danger.

With a score of 8 runs off 16 balls, while Vaibhav tried to send the ball outside the boundary, he himself fell into a trap due to his haste. Vijay nudged the ball slightly back, and Vaibhav stepped out of his defensive zone, intending to send the ball over the boundary. But this time, the ball bypassed not the bat, but the batsman's mind.

The ball spun in the air, Vaibhav missed, and Jagdishan bowled him out. This moment should prompt Vaibhav to pause and ask himself questions. What he sent far yesterday, the same player read today.

This dismissal is particularly interesting because he was facing the same Tripura Vijay, who had previously conceded three fours and one six from Vaibhav in his debut IPL match. At that time, Vaibhav managed to read Vijay. This time, Vijay read Vaibhav. In cricket, victory is not always achieved with words; sometimes one ball is enough.

Perhaps an image of the previous confrontation remained in Vaibhav's mind. Perhaps he thought Vijay would again be an easy target, so he stepped out of his defensive zone to reach the ball. But in Red Ball Cricket format, the bowler shows you not only the ball but also illusions. Vijay did the same: he allowed Vaibhav to come closer and then stopped the ball in the air in such a way that the batsman's entire mathematics was disrupted. Last time, Vaibhav taught the bowler a lesson; this time, the bowler taught Vaibhav a lesson.

T20 helped Vaibhav gain fame due to his fearless style of play, which is his main asset. However, first-class cricket tests this fearlessness. Here, it is not necessary to hit every ball. Sometimes the best shot is simply not hitting the ball. Sometimes the right play is not scoring runs for ten balls. It is also important to show the bowler that the batsman will not fall into his trap.

Vaibhav needs to learn this. He is not lacking in shots, power, or confidence. He needs to learn when 'not to hit'. This is what distinguishes an explosive batsman from a great batsman.