Test cricket has never faced serious threats in its history as it has in the past decade. Apart from the growing popularity of the Twenty20 format, even the increasing number of One-Day Internationals (ODIs) haves kept the fans away from the conventional form of the game.
Published: Mar 18, 2012, 11:16 AM (IST)
Edited: Mar 18, 2012, 11:16 AM (IST)
India’s Rahul Dravid had even appealed to the ICC to reduce meaningless ODI tourneys © Getty Images
“Test cricket is the pinnacle form of the game, and we will continue to protect and promote it above all. It is our link to the game’s origins; it is what defines greatness and it is recognised by the players as being the benchmark by which they wish to be graded and remembered,” says the International Cricket Council (ICC).
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Test cricket has never faced serious threats in its history as it has in the past decade. Apart from the growing popularity of the Twenty20 format, even the increasing number of One-Day Internationals (ODIs) haves kept the fans away from the conventional form of the game.
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In the past few months, if it wouldn’t have been for few exciting contests such as the India-West Indies third Test in Mumbai in November 2011 and South Africa-Australia in Cape Town, no Test match would have drawn large numbers of fans.
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India’s Rahul Dravid had even appealed the ICC to reduce meaningless ODI tourneys. Dravid has even batted for day-night Tests, if need be.
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“Test cricket deserves to be protected; it is what the world’s best knows they will be judged by. I don’t think day-night Tests or a Test championship should be dismissed. In March last year I played a day-night first-class game in Abu Dhabi for the MCC – and my experience from that was that day-night Tests is an idea seriously worth exploring.
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Several international cricketers such as former New Zealand player Shane Bond have also suggested reducing the number of one-day matches. The ICC should give serious considerations to this.
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Reducing meaningless one-day fixtures and adding few more Test matches on tourneys is indeed a viable option for ICC as they are mulling on ways to protect Test cricket.
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Many top cricketers in the world who have attained their formidable status in the conventional format of the game, have proven that a quality Test player can succeed in limited overs format, but a quality limited overs player need not necessarily succeed in Test cricket.
