Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar Friday came up with a proposal to save the 50-over format from the Twenty20 wave, suggesting one-day matches be split into four innings of 25-overs-a-side.

“I am for 50-over cricket. I think we should have 25-overs-a-side to start with. I thought of this during the 2002 Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka,” the champion batsman said.

“In the finals, we ended up playing 110 overs against Sri Lanka. First they played 50 overs and we played 10 overs before the rain interruption. The next day, Sri Lanka again played 50 overs and we could play only 10 overs. In the end, we were declared joint winners. I thought, 110 overs, and still no result?” he recalled.

“That is when I thought, we should have 25 overs first for one side and then the other. And then once again 25 overs for one side and then the other,” he told a television channel.

Tendulkar said such a split would negate the luck factor and tosses would become less crucial.

“Today, we can tell the result of close to 75 per cent of matches after the toss. We know how the conditions will affect the two teams. But it (the idea suggested by him) is not too dependent on the toss because, for example, if it’s a day-night match, then both the teams will have to bat under the lights,” he said.

“The conditions can change dramatically but this would ensure that it’s the same for everyone, Tendulkar remarked. (PTI)