Sachin pitches for Test revival
Mumbai, Aug. 25: Test cricket can be pleasing to the eye if it is played on good pitches, batting great Sachin Tendulkar said on Sunday, terming the 22-yard strip the longest format’s “heart” and key to its revival.
To support his point, Tendulkar cited, as example, the surface used for the Ashes Test at Lord’s last week, which saw a fierce contest between Steve Smith and Jofra Archer.
“The heart of Test cricket is the kind of surface that you play on. If you provide good pitches, cricket cannot be boring, cricket cannot be damp, and (there will always) be those exciting moments, exciting bowling spells, great batting and that is what people want to see,” Tendulkar said.
He was speaking on the sidelines of IDBI Federal Life Insurance Mumbai Half Marathon.
Tendulkar felt the duel between Archer and Smith, which included a nasty bouncer that felled the Australian ace, got viewers hooked and made Test cricket thrilling to watch. “Smith got injured unfortunately, that was a big blow to him but Test cricket was exciting when Jofra Archer challenged him, it suddenly became exciting and the focus shifted to Test cricket.
I think Test cricket is going to revive if we produce interesting tracks, but if the tracks are flat and dead then Test cricket is going to find its challenges. SACHIN TENDULKAR
He added: “At Lord’s they lost almost a day and half, but the Test match got exciting even on the last day when England picked those wickets and Australia had to survive. Test cricket suddenly became exciting and that is how it should be.”
Tendulkar emphasised the need to prepare “interesting tracks” to revive interest in the longest format.
“I think Test cricket is going to revive if we produce interesting tracks, but if the tracks are flat and dead then Test cricket is going to find its challenges.
“I know this Test World Championship has been announced but even to have this World Championship, you got to make cricket interesting, just by having another championship, cricket is not going to get interesting,” he said.