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‘Test cricket shouldn’t go the hockey way, should stay like tennis’
NEW DELHI: The Kapil Dev-inspired 1983 World Cup triumph changed India’s image as a mere Test nation. But he is against tinkering, and a two-tier system, to boost
NEW DELHI: The Kapil Dev-inspired 1983 World Cup triumph changed India’s image as a mere Test nation. But he is against tinkering, and a two-tier system, to boost it. And he says an all-time Indian Test XI to mark the 500th Test starting in Kanpur on Thursday will have to be packed with players from the last two decades, in an interview on the sidelines of an event of official broadcasters, Star India. Excerpts:
India playing their 500th Test.
It’s wonderful, Test cricket has survived so long. Till 1980s we were known only as a Test team. Now it’s a big fight between T20, Tests and ODIs. India have done fairly well in every department, and people love the game.
Test cricket’s future looks uncertain?
I don’t think Test cricket is going to die. Yes, the country has moved so fast in the last 20-30 years, everyone wants to see results fast. They don’t have time to go out for five days. The cricket body will have to plan to bring people back. Modify a little bit, but not much because it is about history. We’ll have more entertainment off the field so people come. And you have to pick the right days, like long weekends. Players should also work, you have to play for the crowd also sometimes.
On commercial pressure on Tests.
It’s a big challenge. There are people who love Test cricket and they will come, but it’s very important for Test cricket that there is entertainment. As a player, I’d like to see 50,000-80,000 coming to watch me play. You can reduce ticket prices, or maybe have a lottery.
The two-tier system and pink ball experiment.
You have to give it (pink ball) a few seasons. Test cricket should stay the same. I don’t want it going the hockey way. I still like to see hockey on grass as well. If you change cricket in that manner, it will be unfair. It should be like tennis, you still have grass court and clay.
Your all-time Indian XI, or players who can’t be left out?
I can’t speak about those who played before the 1970s. There is only one cricketer I keep thinking about, who could have played any type of cricket (in any era), and that is Vinoo Mankad (India’s first great allrounder played from 1946-59). Rest, those who played in the last 20 years, look far better than those before. You can say Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan, MS Dhoni, nobody can rule these cricketers out. Virat Kohli is also there, but it is a tough exercise.
On ex-players applying to BCCI for becoming national selectors.
I haven’t put my mind to it, (but) these cricketers (advisory panel of Laxman, Tendulkar and Ganguly) can decide who are the best, like they picked the coach. Of course, a lot of changes are taking place in the board.
