Former Indian cricketer and head coach Ravi Shastri has said that Test cricket should be limited to matches between six or seven nations, while the responsibility of broadcasting the game worldwide should be done through the T20 format. Of late, despite being captivating, the appeal of Test cricket has waned, mainly due to the rise of T20 leagues around the world, which instantly grabs the attention of young audiences. “When you don’t have quality, that’s when the ratings drop, there are fewer people in the audience, it’s dull cricket, which is the last thing the sport wants. You have 12 Test match teams. Reduce them to six or seven and have a system of promotion and relegation.”
“You can have two tiers but let the top six continue to play to keep the interest in Test cricket. You can broadcast the game (to the world) in other formats, like T20,” Shastri said at the MCC World Cricket Connects event at Lord’s.
MCC chairman Mark Nicholas said money from T20 cricket could be the only way to sustain the game’s finances. “T20 cricket is the behemoth that everyone wants. It’s where the new market is, where the fans are and where the money is. In cricket, money is considered a dirty word but it shouldn’t be because it’s the only way to sustain the game.”
Former Australia opener and head coach Justin Langer has said he wants international cricket to be protected because of its impact on youngsters, citing West Indies fast bowler Shamar Joseph’s memorial debut in Australia earlier this year.
“It got Australia excited and it got the Caribbean going. Last week we saw a million people come together to watch India celebrate their World Cup win. That’s bilateral cricket and international cricket.”
Lord’s, the iconic cricket stadium, will host the first England-West Indies Test on July 10, which is also the farewell match for veteran James Anderson.
Speaking about the focus on the upcoming Test series, Cricket West Indies (CWI) CEO Johnny Grave said: “It’s probably the most important Test series we play, it’s the barometer of how the team is developing.”
“We are coming back from a great time, it has been a long time since that incredible day at the Gabba, and for a number of players it will be their first time playing at Lord’s. They are playing for the Richards Botham Trophy, the ultimate example of the friendship and camaraderie between England and the West Indies.”
“Being here is always special but I think for our players to be able to announce themselves to the English public with a Test series at Lord’s is fantastic,” he concluded.
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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