Fiveday Tests should not be tinkered with: Kohli
NO CHANGE India captain says compressing game to four days will be a backward step
It’s the most beautiful format. I don’t think it’s going to go anywhere. I don’t even see it getting compressed to four days. VIRAT KOHLI, on Test cricket
India skipper Virat Kohli said Test cricket should not be “tinkered” with and does not see it getting compressed to four days, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) mulls ways to prop up the sport’s traditional format.
Kohli has been one of the top run-getters in Tests in recent times, and plays and talks about it with passion.
“I cannot explain to you the job satisfaction that you get when you do well in Test cricket, because you know how demanding it is,” Kohli told ‘Wisden’.
“It’s the most beautiful format of the game. I don’t think it’s going to go anywhere. I don’t even see it getting compressed to four days.”
Asked if he looks at the proposed four-day Test matches as a backward step, India’s batting mainstay said, “Definitely. It should not be tinkered with.”
The increasing number of T20 leagues around the world has posed a threat to the traditional five-day format, with the ODIs close to facing an existential crisis.
“In a few countries, yes. It all depends on the awareness of people who watch the game. If you take a country like South Africa or Australia or England, they have big crowds for Test matches because people understand the sport.
“It’s literally living life over five days. There are so many ups and downs and even when you’ve done well you’ve got to keep coming back and doing it all over again.
“I think that if you really understand the sport, if you really love the sport, you understand Test cricket and you understand how exciting it is. I cannot explain to you the job satisfaction that you get when you do well in Test cricket, because you know how demanding it is.”
The ICC will introduce a nineteam two-year Test world championship in 2019, alongside a 13-team ODI league as well as trialling four-day matches.
Kohli is in favour of the forthcoming Test championship.
“I think that is going to give a huge push to Test cricket. It makes every series more competitive, and there’s going to be ups and downs throughout the Championship, which I really look forward to. The teams that love playing Test cricket are always going to be passionate about it.
“And it also depends on the system you have back home as well. If you’re not going to give more importance to first-class cricket, then people are going to lose motivation to play the longest format of the game.”
The prolific scorer said predecessor MS Dhoni is the only captain he has picked up aspects of leadership from.
“I’ve learned the most from MS (Dhoni), standing so close to him at slip so many times and just observing him at close quarters,” he said. Surviving the wiles of Pakistan spinner Yasir Shah is Australia’s “No. 1 plan” in the upcoming Test series in the United Arab Emirates, fast bowler Peter Siddle said. Yasir played a key role in Australia’s unravelling during the last UAE tour in 2014, when the leg-spinner took 12 to help the hosts win the twomatch series 2-0.
Four years later, a raw Australia squad has returned to the Gulf state without two of their best batsmen in the suspended Steve Smith and David Warner. Looking to counter Yasir and Shadab Khan, Australia have re-hired spin bowling consultant Sridharan Sriram and flown in two Indian wrist-spinners, including Pardeep Sahu, who has played for Indian Premier League side Kings XI Punjab.
Siddle said that the tourists had spent plenty of time in the Dubai heat working out ways to deal with leg spin and Yasir, specifically. “He’s (Yasir) going to play a big part.
“He bowled well against us last series over here. He took a lot of wickets, so I think it’s going to be number one plan to keep him out,” said Siddle.
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