Skip to main content

Who is really to blame for the disinterest in test cricket?

Critics argue that Test Cricket would die & would be replaced by a more swashbuckling form of game (20/20).Recently the likes of Ian Chappell,Peter Roebuck and the entire Australian media accused M.S. Dhoni of being the prime culprit & there was widespread criticism of his 8-1 field setting on the third day of the Nagpur test.

Stats revealed that Aussies were only able to score something like 172 runs in the entire day's play & termed it as "disgusting leadership" which made the game boring & insured that most of the stands were empty.

But is it Dhoni's job to insure that people who just understand one language of game (bang-bang)don't lose their interest in test cricket? Purist would argue that sometimes the non scoring battles are just as exiting. Personally my best memories in tests comes from the Melbourne test in 1999 on the 2nd day post lunch session, where i witnessed three greatest in the battleground. Mcgrath & Warne versus Sachin.There wasn't an abrupt rise in scoring rate but Cricket was at its immaculate best.(Sachin did score a century in that inning,i think 119.)

We should also realize that there exist some people known as cricket administrators whose job is to protect & promote the game.There is also a Marylebone Cricket Club (M.C.C.) whose job is to protect the spirit in which the game is played & make desirable laws. If an eight-one field is such an offence then make laws against it.If BCCI people issue ticket for entire 5 days play & not on individual day basis then its not Dhoni's fault.If the new stadium is situated 20 kms off the stadium its not Dhoni's fault.

He was simply 1-0 up in the series & was asking Aussies to seize the initiative & hold the bull by the horn.What is wrong with that? Further he wasn't even asking his bowlers to bowl a negative line like Nassar Hussain did in bangaluru. Administrators have pricing strategies at their disposal to prevent shutting of doors on fanatics of game & still make reasonable revenues.First these issues should be addressed and then should we try to blame cricketers who are playing within the legal guidelines of the game.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PSL & IPL Aftermath 2018

The IPL got over early in June after almost a month and a half of cricket frenzy. IPL will be liked by many, disliked by the purists; but there is no doubt that it has changed the course of the game forever. Like any change, the IPL comes with its pros and cons. Pros Cricket as a Career : Sports has never been a career choice for majority of the Indians unless they are super talented, and cricket is no exception. Bar the top 16 who found their way into the National team, the remaining hundreds struggled for a decent living. The IPL ensures that the select 16 are no more the ones who make all the money. In the current IPL at least 100 Indian cricketers made money. With more IPL versions, the number of teams is sure to increase and I foresee a B division of IPL as well in the near future. This ensures that youngsters in India can look at cricket as a serious career option even if they do not make the select 16 of the Indian

Sachin, can you do us a favour?

Dear Sachin No doubt you have done immense service to cricket in general and Indian cricket in particular. But, can you just stop thinking about yourself, thinking selfishly and for a moment consider what a “rationale” Indian fan would think then you would definitely agree to some of the things I am going to say in the article / letter. Why spoil the combination Let us take a look at the current Indian team composition. And more importantly the performance of the openers. I don’t need to throw data at you but you know that off late the Indian team openers have done a tremendous job and it is showing up in the results off late. As is always mentioned, why fix what ain’t broken Sachin. If not in opening position, where else will you fit I still remember the tantrum you threw when you were removed from the opening position before the previous world cup. You generally do not indulge into media speeches and leaks but when you are really really pissed off, you cannot hold back (poor poor