Ravichandran Ashwin, a former star of India, believes that the presence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli is the primary reason why Indian cricket fans are so interested in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Ashwin believes that the famous duo’s participation in the first few rounds is the only reason the home 50-over league gained such much prominence.
Ashwin also expressed worries over One-Day Internationals’ prospects beyond the 2027 World Cup. Although he believes that Test and Twenty20 cricket will continue to be popular and relevant for some time, the 50-over format can get a little daunting given the sport’s evolving trends.
“People began following the Vijay Hazare Trophy once Rohit and Virat returned.
Although we already know that sports are greater than people, these players (Ro-Ko) occasionally need to return to keep the game relevant. Few people watch the Vijay Hazare Trophy, a domestic competition, but since Virat and Rohit were participating, they have started to do so. What occurs even if they cease participating in ODIs? In a video posted to his YouTube page, Ashwin pondered.
“After the 2027 World Cup, I’m not sure what the future holds for ODI. I’m a little concerned about it. I do watch the Vijay Hazare Trophy, of course, but I’m having a little trouble keeping up with the way I followed SMAT. We also need to know what viewers are interested in. Test cricket, in my opinion, still has room, but ODI cricket, in my opinion, doesn’t,” he said.
Top-tier international teams no longer play as many ODIs. In 2025, the Indian men’s squad participated in just two bilateral ODI series, for a total of six games. They only participated in five games during their successful Champions Trophy campaign. It’s unclear how the stakeholders will influence the one-day format’s future given the intriguing narrowing down and uninterested spectators.
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