 is set to hurt at a larger scale.</p> "Pin It")
Bishan Singh Bedi also lamented the decline of quality cricket at domestic circuit © Getty Images
By CricketCountry Staff
New Delhi: Jan 25, 2012
Former cricketer Bishan Singh Bedi opines that the decline of domestic cricket is hurting the Indian cricket at the international level, and warns that the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to hurt at a larger scale.
“The IPL is unreal. Ranji Trophy is the real cricket. If you have your priorities wrong, then this is what you will get. Mark my word, this IPL will strike a fatal blow to Indian cricket and the day is not far,” Bedi said.
Bedi also asked that how many cricketers from Rajasthan, who recently registered their second consecutive win in Ranji Trophy, can be selected for the national side.
“Does Rajasthan, the National champion, have one player worthy of a place in the Indian team? Not really, but then it is not Rajasthan's fault. I would question the format and the technical committee's role here,” Bedi was quoted as saying by The Hindu.
Bedi pointed out that nowadays people are not interested in watching domestic cricket as there is not enough competition.
“I don't want to be harsh but it is fact that the technical committee is dead to requirements of present day cricket. It is killing the bowlers and creating over-rated batting monsters,” he said.
“I remember vividly we had incentive for winning matches. There is hardly any now. No one is concerned about our domestic cricket. I don't want to be harsh but we must face the reality. People don't want to watch this kind of cricket.
“Occupation of the crease is not the requirement of modern cricket. It is actually anachronism. A team bats for 245 overs and wins the final on first innings lead. Are we not an entertainment industry?” Bedi added.
“Then how do you expect people to pay and watch such dull and meaningless cricket? And all this happened in the backyard of the BCCI boss,” he opined.
