Document Actions
A double hundred in ODI and a hundred in T20
It took 40 years and 2961 matches and a player of exceptional talent and ability like SRT to break the (mostly mental) barrier whereas it took all of 19 matches (of course in an international arena) for the first century to be scored.
Recently Sachin Tendulkar broke the 40 year old standing barrier in one day internationals by scoring a double century in one innings. It took 40 years and 2961 matches and a player of exceptional talent and ability like SRT to break the (mostly mental) barrier. Compare that too T20. It took all of 19 matches (of course in an international arena) for the first century to be scored. And that too by a person with as cavalier attitude as Chris Gayle. No doubt he is a talented player but by no means he is in the same league as SRT. The landmark has been broken quite a few times since then and people have scored in excess of 150 runs also.
The longer format of the ODI tests not only the shot making ability of the player, but his stamina, endurance, powers of concentration and most of all the will to stay at the wicket i.e the character. T20 is just "Wham, Bam, Thank you Ma'am".
So what's the point in these comparisons you ask me? Quite simply because there are only 20 overs in T20 which is around 40% of the 50 overs you normally get in an ODI. So if it has been very difficult to score 200 runs in 50 overs by one player, statistically it should be even harder to score 100 in 20 over right? That's where statistics and numbers fail us. The longer format of the ODI (funny we say that now, considering ODI was a shortened version of cricket) tests not only the shot making ability of the player, but his stamina, endurance, powers of concentration and most of all the will to stay at the wicket i.e the character. T20 is just "Wham, Bam, Thank you Ma'am". People do not expect players to build an innings. Just go out there play 10-20 balls and score 40 odd runs in double quick time. Some players get luck and stay till 50-60 balls and score a century. But you don't need technique to do that. Even a play like Yusuf Pathan whose game is built on brute power can do it.
That is why I will never love T20 cricket. Sure I will watch it. But it does not have the same kind of captivating magic as Test cricket or even an ODI.
