Following are the Opinions about Test cricket by Lalit Modi.
- 'Test cricket must go day-night to survive'
- 'Twenty20 cricket, unlike its Test equivalent, can reach new markets in America and China'
- 'We are only a two-year-old league but we had close to 3.8 billion eyeballs last year. I use that phrase every time a person sits down and watches an IPL game live or on TV – that's an 'eyeball'
For Lalit Modi, its all to do with number of people watching the matches Live or on Television. He wants to sell Cricket. My point is that he should project Cricket ahead of some other sports like Football or Hockey and should not make comparisons between a shorter version and longer version of the game. Imagine the implications of Test match cricket played in a White ball, flood lights, colour clothing, dew factor; very thought of it makes me laugh. Lets say that this will be put into practice, next question that would probably hit the mind of Mr. Modi is, 'why not make it happen at neutral venues ?'. The pride factor for an Indian team walking into Test arenas like Perth or Headingley and emerging victorious would be lost forever, if such things happen. Will Modi question that these venues should also host night version of Test cricket. He will never stop.
For me, I feel that he is addressing a wrong question altogether. It should be, how to make India play result oriented test matches more often than drawn matches. Places like Australia, West Indies, England, South Africa, New Zealand, Test cricket is watched by audiences with the same Zeal as they would watch any version of the game. A concept of Boxing day test match in Australia can pool in crowds from all over the country and stadium will be jam-packed from the first delivery of a test match. Lord's test matches will attract so many eyeballs (phrase used by Lalit Modi) as and when its played. Lets not forget the recently concluded test match series in South africa between England and RSA, where all the four match series were closely fought, couple of matches were drawn by England and the last ball, last wicket decided the fate. We cannot get a better advertisement for test cricket? No lights were required to pull the crowds that time. I was stuck to the television, till last ball was bowled. West Indies' crowd is also passionate about the Test cricket format.
If Lalit Modi wants to capture new markets like America, they already have Baseball, which they invented to counter cricket. China may be a potential market for viewership. Lalit Modi knows his product, which he is trying to Globalise. I simply cannot understand why he is commenting about Test cricket, which is more associated with Cricket since time immemorial. Lalit Modi has enormous lust to make his product sell worldwide. If he is going to succeed, it can be through T-20 version, agreed! but test cricket survival will take care of itself. All this while, Test cricket was played and suddenly T-20 version comes in and test cricket death is talked about. It sounds funny. Lalit Modi did not vote for T-20 version to be a solution for longer version survival. But then T-20's enormous success has made him feel that Test cricket is nearing its death. I dont believe in that argument.
Another controversial topic I foresee in this T-20 version, especially in IPL tournaments, there is a great chance of Match-fixing issue popping up. Who could say no to this ? We all know how Indian cricket struggled due to match fixing scandal and revival was itself a great story. Saurav Ganguly, Sachin, Dravid, Laxman, Kumble and M S Dhoni have all ensured that Money stays out of the game and Passion for the game is instilled in the minds of youngsters, who wants to wear Indian cap. Tournaments like IPL throws so much money on the players, the player's priority is shifting. Andrew Flintoff quit Test cricket for England and there is no doubt that he will make himself available for IPL without fail, cause the money involved is huge. Flintoff is such an allrounder, he became well known for his excellence achieved in Ashes. World cricket will miss him now.
I guess Lalit Modi reads this post and channelise his thoughts to sell the product but not by degrading one of its child. Test cricket will always be there and nobody can mourn....
Thanks,
Prashy.
Agreed with u 100% Prashant...'Test' cricket is not the test of hitting 6s & 4s of a nervous bowler who is so preoccupied with containing runs that he forgets what a wicket taking delivery is!.
ReplyDeleteAs the name suggests - Test cricket is the ultimate test of a cricketer.
From a bowler's perspective- it tests his wicket taking capability...Especially when the batsmen is hell bent on preserving his wicket and can even choose to simply leave any ball which will not hit the stumps. (T20 tests the bowler's sanity when a wicket taking delivery is slogged for a boundary by the fearless No.10 batsman)
From a batsman's perspective - it tests his temparament. It is the most flexible form of the game where a batsman like Sehwag can choose to score at strike rate of 100% & entertain the masses or he can a Dravid who accumulates runs & entertain the classes
From spectators perspective - The Generation Y can be quite impatient and want everything to happen quickly. Who has the time to watch a 5 day match when u can watch a 5 hours match?. Lalit modi is harping on the point that Spectator(customer) is the king. Give him want he wants. But Mr Modi - dont forget that the same spectator might become bored of T20 when he realizes the game has lost some of the things that made it great. Some of them are - the perfect straight drive, the deadly bouncer, confident bowler snaring at the nervous batsman, a 5 man slip cordon waiting for the elusive edge, a well flighted delivery which decieves the batsman's judgement of length, 4 close-in fielders who make the batsman sweat at the thought of a bat pad catch...the list goes on...the day these things vanish - I'll rather watch baseball than T20!!
To conclude- "You take out the heart of the game - u kill the game...rather create a separate game called T20"
Well the issue here is not that of mere Test Cricket and T20, its actually targeting the mindset of the Gentelmans' Game..
ReplyDeleteImagine the Lords or a Boxing Day match in Australia and the crowd cheering the Red ball..On the contrast, you have a few skimpy clad women cheering to some hip number for a mistimed hit of some player. Spectators having lunch dinner and watching the match as if some dance number in a restaurant is played.
I am sure any sane person would distinguish these two as separate sports, played with a bat and a ball. Therefore the mere fact of comparison between Test and T20 is something difficult to absorb. Test cricket is like the root, and T20 is an offshoot - a branch, the roots can never be compared to the branch. Similarly test cricket can never be taken away to make way T20.
Lalit Modi has a job at hand and that is to make money for the cricketers and sponsors, and he is very very good at it. But to poke nose in test cricket is out of his league and he should stay at T20 level. Perhaps exploring US and Chinese markets would make him earn more but in the long run, it would kill the game altogether.
In a nutshell, I agree with Newin and would like to opine, that keep both things the way they are and promote both separately. You can always grow collectively and never individually...Never attack the mindset of the other..It will harm T20 more..
Vaibhav
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ReplyDeleteWith the advent of T20 everyones viewpoint was just a simple thing, T20 a shorter version more aggressive flavorful etc. IPL1 great format huge success, IPL2 became NRIpl not that fanciful due to time difference etc. IPL3 was quite boring, Everyday someone playing not able to follow etc. I made this point because within few years of its advent T20's became an overdose and people wanted this to be seen occasionally and not always. I Don't know whether its true or not but most youngsters feel that test matches are more competitive nowadays. Lalit Modi thinks as though he is Eccelestone (F1 Boss) of cricket But he can never become a good administrator. My take on this issue is the Author Prashanth should ignore Lalit modi's words rather than taking him seriously.
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