Bob Willis: India are light years ahead of England in ODIs

Bob Willis

London, Jan 14 (IANS) Former England fast bowler Bob Willis said that the Indians were light years ahead of their present English counterparts in One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and added that the limited overs game has changed beyond recognition.

"Indian players are getting individual scores of 200 plus in one-day games now and there are light years between them and the way England play," Willis was quoted as saying by dailymail.co.uk on Wednesday.

Willis also believes the meteoric rise of Twenty20 cricket has had a dramatic effect on the 50-over game and will define the World Cup that begins on February 14 in Australia and New Zealand.

"The limited-overs game has changed beyond all recognition. The adage used to be that you would get to 30 overs and then try to double your score in the last 20. But now, because of Twenty20, you must look to score at least a hundred in the last 10 overs and life is pretty tough for bowlers these days," said the 65-year-old.

But Willis is hopeful of England's World Cup prospects. He said that cricket fans will be behind them to do well, and that the team has to play fearless cricket to have a chance of winning the quadrennial trophy.