Ex-India coach Ravi Shastri believes the mushrooming T20 leagues around the world will eventually hurt bilateral cricket, especially the ODI format with the franchises inclined towards handing long-term contract to players.

Shastri was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo –

“I have always said that the bilateral cricket will suffer, there is no question about that. With the leagues spreading around the world, it’s going to go the football way. The teams will assemble just before the World Cup, they play a little bit of bilateral.”

Shastri added – “Clubs will release the players and you play the mega World Cup. So it’s going to go that way in the long run whether you like it or not. I don’t feel bad at all, one of the faculties of the game will suffer. I think it will be 50-over cricket.”

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Shastri further said –

“Look at the volume of people in this country, we are 1.4 billion, and only 11 can play for India.” A trend has already started where many international cricketers are preferring club over country. And Shastri admitted that he won’t be surprised to see the trend growing in coming time.