Former India internationals Yuvraj Singh and Ashish Nehra threw their weight behind five-day Test cricket, when they attended the Sportstar Aces Awards at the Trident Hotel in Mumbai on Monday.
Nehra, who retired from all forms of the game in November 2017, said he wasn't a big fan of the newly-proposed format by the International Cricket Council (ICC). "To be very honest, unless the ICC is in the mind to want to prepare rank turners or seaming wickets, it is different."
The ICC's cricket committee, which will formally consider the plan for the 2023-2031 cycle, were inclined to think in favour of the change after it felt there was the growing need to stage more global events. In addition to that, the BCCI's demands for an expanded bilateral calendar, proliferation of T20 leagues around the world and the costs of hosting five-day games are some of the factors contributing to the need.
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However, Nehra felt that when it comes to Test matches, one shouldn't shuffle things much. "Again I'll say it is not a great idea. When it comes to Test cricket, you know some things you shouldn't change or touch too much, because you see, so many times the result comes on day number five. So I'll be happy to have the same old five-day Test match."
Batting sensation Yuvraj Singh, who hung up his boots in June last year, concurred with Nehra saying, "I agree with what Nehra just said."
While, the feedback to the proposal so far, has been largely critical with top current and former players such as Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, Ravi Shastri, Ricky Ponting, Ian Botham, Steve Waugh and Virender Sehwag ridiculing the plan, there have been cricketers and boards who have been taking sides with it as well, notably the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Cricket Australia CEO Kevin Roberts, Michael Vaughan and Shane Warne.
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