Shubman Gill Tri-Series Plan Gets Boost as ECB Eyes ODI Revival

India ODI captain Shubman Gill’s call to bring back triangular and quadrangular series has received backing from England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Richard Gould, who says England is open to the format and that several tri-series are already planned over the next 12 to 18 months.

Gill had made the case for multi-team ODI tournaments during India’s tour of England, arguing that the format could make 50-over cricket more engaging without changing its traditional structure.

Shubman Gill wants ODIs to rediscover the excitement of tri-series

Gill has strongly backed the 50-over format, rejecting suggestions that ODIs should be shortened to 40 overs.

For the India captain, the problem is not the length of the game but the way bilateral cricket is currently structured.

“If we want to make this format more interesting, instead of having bilateral series, we can have triangular or quadrangular series.”

Gill also recalled growing up watching India compete in triangular tournaments against Australia and Sri Lanka, describing them as particularly enjoyable.

“We used to play a lot of triangular series and it was really fun to watch.”

He believes the variety of opponents would make the format more compelling for both players and spectators.

ECB chief backs the idea as tri-series return to calendar

Gould has indicated that the ECB remains open to the idea, with several multi-team tournaments already featuring in the international calendar over the coming 12 to 18 months.

The development gives Gill’s proposal an immediate boost, although the exact teams and dates for any England-led triangular ODI series are yet to be confirmed.

Tri-series have already begun making occasional appearances again. Pakistan hosted a three-team tournament involving New Zealand and South Africa ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy, while further multi-team events are included in the current Future Tours Programme.

Why tri-series could give ODI cricket a much-needed lift

The biggest attraction of the format is the variety it brings.

Instead of repeatedly facing the same opponent across a bilateral series, teams have to adapt to different playing styles and tactical challenges within the same tournament.

That can also create greater stakes. Every match can influence the qualification equation, while a final or decisive game gives the tournament a natural climax that a conventional bilateral series can sometimes lack.

For viewers, the return of familiar cricketing rivalries – such as the India-Australia-Sri Lanka combinations Gill remembers- could also provide a stronger narrative around ODI cricket.

The challenge is fitting such tournaments into an already crowded international calendar. More tri-series cannot simply be added on top of existing bilateral commitments without increasing workload.

But with Gill advocating a structural change rather than shortening the format itself, and the ECB showing an openness to the idea, the return of the tri-series could offer ODI cricket a way to become more competitive and unpredictable without abandoning the 50-over format.