While Test cricket remains the oldest, wisest, and purest form, and T20 is the disruptor, demanding eyeballs and extending the game to new regions of the world, one-day cricket is increasingly being presented as the underappreciated middle child.

As a result, the World Cup in India, which begins on Thursday, less than a week after the domestic season in England concludes, is not only the sport’s biggest event, but also an opportunity for one-day cricket to argue for its continued existence at the highest level.

The build-up has been less than ideal.

A schedule was not given until June, and it has been tweaked since then. Tickets have just been on sale for around a month, and rumors indicated that the Pakistan team did not have visas to visit India as recently as last week.

Some journalists and supporters from or with ties to Pakistan are unable to enter the country. Other sports’ major contests would not allow these issues to develop.

It is, as usual, interminably long, with 45 days between the first match and the final on November 19 – more than enough time to organize a football World Cup followed by a summer Olympics. England plays only once in a 10-day stretch at one stage in the competition.

The structure – ten teams playing each other once in an expanded group stage that shrinks to four semi-finalists – lacks the suspense that makes the top tournaments so compelling.

A squad could lose its first three games and yet win the championship. Last time around, New Zealand failed to win four games and would have been champions had Martin Guptill been a few yards quicker between the wickets.