‘Don’t even go there… want to ask Sachin where he played that shot’: Ravi Shastri on Tendulkar statue that looks like Steve Smith | Cricket News
Ahead of India’s clash against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium earlier this month, Sachin Tendulkar’s statue was unveiled at the Mumbai stadium as a tribute to his illustrious career. However, some fans observed on social media that the statue resembled Australian cricketer Steven Smith more than Tendulkar. This also led to many memes on social media.
On a recent episode of Club Prairie Fire podcast, former England cricketer Michael Vaughan cheekily asked Ravi Shastri what Tendulkar would think of his Steve Smith lookalike statue.
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“Don’t even go there! I have not even met him. So I have not asked him. 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 he is not because it won’t be long to know,” he added.
40-over games in ODI
As the World Cup has chugged along, there has been plenty of debate about the future of the 50-over format. The former India coach weighed in, suggesting that the format should be reduced to 40 overs. “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. I think the way forward would be a 40-over game.”
Shastri also highlighted viewer behaviour of those who visit the grounds to watch their team play, saying they are interested in just certain phases of the format. Most Read
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Empty seats at the Australia vs South Africa game in Lucknow, India [File: Adnan Abidi/Reuters]
“I see it with the crowds. They wait to see what has happened at the toss. If their favourite team is batting they rush to the ground they will watch the game they will watch 10 overs or 15 overs of powerplay of the second innings and they are off. They are off to see the game somewhere else. It’s the other way around if it’s too hot or India is batting second. Fans are going to reach the ground at 5 o’clock to see the last 10 or 12 overs of the first innings and then they want to see my team bat.
“It is the attention span which is changing amongst youngsters. They don’t have time to watch cricket for eight hours especially since you have everything on your phone these days. They choose the right time to go,” he added.
The ongoing World Cup has suffered from poor crowds at times in stadiums and a lack of close games which has brought the format’s future further under scrutiny.
