Cricket could go the football way, feels Rhodes
Former cricketer Jonty Rhodes suggests that the rise of global T20 franchise leagues may threaten the future of bilateral 50-over international cricket. He draws a comparison to football, where club-level play dominates the calendar while international tournaments remain the pinnacle.
Why it matters
This highlights a structural shift in professional sports economics, where franchise-based models are challenging traditional international formats.
Jonty Rhodes believes the growing dominance of franchise-based T20 cricket could leave bilateral One-Day Internationals fighting for relevance, even as the 50-over World Cup ensures the format retains a place on the international calendar.
The South Africa great, speaking on the sidelines of a promotional event here, said the proliferation of leagues could eventually force players to make difficult choices between international cricket and a lucrative franchise circuit.
“When T20 cricket first started people were saying it was going to put pressure on Test cricket. Amazingly, it hasn’t,” Rhodes said. “For me, it was always the understanding that possibly 50-over cricket might be in trouble in the years ahead because we are bringing in a fresh crowd and a different perspective into the game.”
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