Sandeep Patil calls four-day Test idea 'nonsense'

Recent reports suggested that the ICC’s cricket committee plans to recommend trimming Tests to four days from five for the 2023-2031 cycle.

Published : Jan 08, 2020 17:45 IST , Mumbai

Eden Gardens played the perfect host in the iconic day-night Test between India and Bangladesh in 2019.
Eden Gardens played the perfect host in the iconic day-night Test between India and Bangladesh in 2019.
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Eden Gardens played the perfect host in the iconic day-night Test between India and Bangladesh in 2019.

 

The cricketing fraternity appears to be divided when it comes to four-day Tests. While a section of former players have given the new proposal a thumbs up, most of them are against the idea.

Former India cricketer Sandeep Patil isn’t in favour of the new format. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the Harris Shield final at the Brabourne Stadium on Wednesday, Patil went to the extent of calling the four-day Test idea as ‘nonsense’.

“I belong to the old school and I believe that in five-day cricket, the first day belongs to the medium pacers. Test cricket itself is a test of character for a cricketer. It’s a test for every individual and you are taking that away,” Patil said.

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Recent reports suggested that the ICC’s cricket committee plans to recommend trimming Tests to four days from five for the 2023-2031 World Test Championship cycle.

In 2017, South Africa played a four-day Test against Zimbabwe — a concept that did not go down well with many. “A cricketer is put to Test on the first day and also on the last day, when the wicket is turning. It doesn’t work for India, but for all the teams. It’s up to the ICC to take a call on this,” Patil, the former chairman of the national selection committee, said.

But at a time when Test cricket is struggling to attract spectators, won’t the new move work well? “It all depends on how you are looking at it. Excitement is there in every season. How you look at it is important,” Patil said, also making it clear that it’s too early to even define the success of concepts like Day-Night Tests. “It’s too early. Australia started it. We have also had one, which was a success. We will have to wait and see. All new things need time…”

Focus on cricket

While addressing young cricketers, Patil cautioned,“The game hasn’t changed at all from our times. It’s just that nowadays you have all sorts of creams (sunscreen) available, something that we didn't. Nowadays we see even kids in Harris and Giles Shield putting on these creams. I would like to urge you to stop throwing tantrums.”

“Don't aspire to be a Hardik Pandya, instead try and follow the footsteps of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Ajinkya Rahane, Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev. You may not like it but keep all your focus on the game and don't get swayed by other temptations,” he added.

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