Former Indian cricketer and arguably the greatest batsman ever, Sachin Tendulkar has lashed out at the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) proposal to reduce Test matches to four days. Sachin’s reaction came after ICC’s proposal triggered a massive debate among fans, players and pundits.
Test cricket is the purest form of the game and many fans and players believe that there shouldn’t be any tinkering with the oldest and the most respected format of the game. Making his stance extremely clear, Sachin Tendulkar told Mid-Day that reducing the length of Test matches will take the advantage away from spinners who look forward to bowling with the scruffed ball on day 4 and day 5 wicket. The Little Master made is absolutely clear that the ICC shouldn’t tinker with Test cricket.
“Spinners look forward to bowling with the scruffed ball, taking advantage on day five of the roughs created on the wickets… All that is part of Test cricket. Is it fair to take that advantage away from spinners? There is T20, it is one-dayers and then there are T10 and 100-ball cricket. Test cricket is the purest form of cricket. It should not be tinkered with.”
Sachin Tendulkar, who is respected worldwide for his extraordinary knowledge about the game, also advised the ICC to focus on providing quality pitches that can last all days and has something for everyone.
“The ICC, in my view, should focus on providing quality playing surfaces. Let the ball do things – spin, seam, swing, and bounce. It will automatically liven-up the game. It will also throw up more results. Currently, there are far too many dead games,” Sachin Tendulkar said.
Earlier, the Indian captain Virat Kohli had also distanced himself from the idea of tinkering with Test cricket and clearly said that he doesn’t agree with the idea of altering Test cricket.
“I am not a fan… I think the intent will not be right because then you will speak of three-day Tests… Where do you end? Then you will speak of Test cricket disappearing. I don’t endorse that at all… I don’t think that’s fair to the purest format of the game, how cricket started initially…Five-day Test matches was the highest you can have at the international level. According to me, it shouldn’t be altered.”
