India, Jan. 2 -- For years now, since the 20-over format caught fire and captured the imagination and attention of cricket lovers globally, flowery obituaries have been written about its longer white-ball counterpart. Somehow, 50-over cricket has managed to wean itself off life support, even if it continues to totter on trembling, unsteady legs.

The mushrooming popularity of what was once considered a hit-and-giggle variant is a classic example of cricket cannibalising itself. Authorities in England were compelled more than two decades ago to resort to 'gimmickry' to bring back audiences apathetic to the dwindling charms of one-day cricket. Hence the recourse to 20-overs-a-side; they called it 'cricketainment', cramming cricket and enter...