T20 to kill-off Test cricket?

MCC CEO has warned Test cricket not to oppose T20 for its own well-being

Marylebone Cricket Club chief executive Keith Bradshaw feels that the lure of Twenty20 is such that the number of Test playing countries could reduce to just three or four while international T20 sides could double in five years time.

Writing in the April issue of Wisden Cricketer magazine,Bradshaw said Test cricket will have to work alongside rather than against Twenty20 for its well being besides voicing the need to address the unfair favour to batsmen in the longest format of the game.

“There is a real danger the format (Test cricket) could become the preserve of four or five countries unless efforts are made to reinstate a fairer balance between bat and ball,to work alongside rather than against Twenty20 competitions to ensure players do not have to choose between playing for their country and their club,and to attract new audiences,”

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Bradshaw wrote for the magazine which would celebrate Sachin Tendulkar’s historic ODI double century against South Africa by featuring the India star on its front cover.

“I consider myself optimistic but it isn’t difficult to look ahead and see the pessimists’ apocalyptic version of the future of the game,where Tests are virtually redundant,Twenty20 saturates and players are globe-trotting mercenaries,” he said.

He said while Test cricket remains the pinnacle of the game,its position should not be taken for granted and administrators will have to work with Twenty20. “We have a warped sense of the well-being of Tests in England because they attract good crowds. We know several players have already forgone playing Tests to prolong more lucrative Twenty20 careers.

“But I believe the more covert long-term problem will be that young players will be schooled purely in the Twenty20 game and be unable to adapt to the demands of cricket played over three,four and five days.

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“The transition from Test to Twenty20 cricket is much easier than the other way round and the result could be far fewer players capable of playing five-day cricket,” he said. Bradshaw felt there was nothing wrong in the expansion of cricket’s frontiers to earlier unknown countries through Twenty20.

“Twenty20 could sound the death knell for Test cricket but it could also prove to be the perfect vehicle for the expansion of the game into other countries. The shorter the game,the greater the leveler and Twenty20 is an excellent pathway into the elite fold -¿ just think of the fairy-tale qualification of Afghanistan for this year’s World Twenty20.

“I firmly believe the next big step will be the growth of cricket in the United States and it’s not unrealistic to think there could be 20 countries capable of playing competitive Twenty20 cricket within the next five years surely something to celebrate,” he said.