The cricket world recently witnessed the unveiling of a statue dedicated to Sachin Tendulkar at Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede Stadium, a homage to the master blaster’s extraordinary contribution to the sport. The prestigious event, preceding India’s match against Sri Lanka, aimed to immortalize the legendary batsman in bronze. However, the statue sparked an unexpected digital maelstrom when fans noted an uncanny resemblance not to Tendulkar but to Australian cricketer Steven Smith. This observation quickly became a social media spectacle, with countless memes flooding the online sphere, drawing a mixed reception from the cricket fraternity.
Amidst the social media frenzy, former England cricketer Michael Vaughan, on the Club Prairie Fire podcast, posed a mischievous question to Ravi Shastri, asking how Tendulkar might feel about a statue that seemed to mirror Smith more than himself. In a jovial response characteristic of his candid commentary style, Shastri exclaimed, “Don’t even go there! I have not even met him. So I have not asked him.” Eager to understand Tendulkar’s perspective, he continued, “I’d like to pick his brain on what he thinks (about it). Where did he play that shot? I will know from his face whether he is happy with that statue or not because it won’t be long to know.”
Visit our special World Cup section to follow all the action from the Cricket World Cup 2023. Here you can find the latest updates, including the top scorer, the highest wicket-taker of the current edition, and much more, like upcoming fixtures and the points table.
As the World Cup progresses, debate regarding the viability and audience appeal of the 50-over format has been in the spotlight. Shastri himself, once a pillar of Indian cricket and now an influential voice in its analysis, weighed in on the matter. He argued for evolution within the game, pointing to shifting audience interests and the necessity for cricket to adapt accordingly. “I think changes have to be made. When we won the World Cup in ’83, it was a 60-over game; it changed to 50 overs. You have to evolve with time, you have to see the attention span of the spectator. It is diminishing,” he noted, advocating for a reduction to a 40-over format as potentially a positive step forward.
Shastri elaborated by drawing attention to the behavioral patterns of spectators, particularly those attending matches in person, highlighting a selective interest in phases of the game. “I see it with the crowds. They wait to see what happened at the toss. If their favorite team is batting, they rush to the ground, they will watch the game, they will watch 10 overs or 15 overs of the powerplay of the second innings, and they are off. They are off to see the game somewhere else,” he described, capturing the essence of the modern cricket audience’s engagement habits.
Shastri’s insights reveal much about the current state of spectatorship, where the proliferation of digital access has reshaped consumption patterns of the sport. With cricket easily accessible on smartphones, fan engagement is becoming increasingly fragmented, epitomized by fans choosing optimal times to watch rather than committing to full days at the stadium.
This year’s World Cup, while showcasing the pinnacle of international cricket, has nonetheless battled with tepid spectator numbers at some venues and a deficiency of nail-biting encounters. Such phenomena have further exacerbated the scrutiny of the 50-over format’s place in a rapidly changing sporting landscape. As discussions continue on how best to sustain and cultivate interest in one-day international cricket, the voices of legends like Ravi Shastri and the reactions of the global cricket community will undoubtedly play a role in shaping the game’s evolution for future generations.