Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir calls four-day Test a ‘ridiculous’ idea and most of the results may lead to a draw. The reaction from the former batsman comes a week after the idea of four-day Test matches for the World Test Championship 2023 was being shared.
Cricket Australia (CA) chief Kevin Roberts also gave a negative signal to the call to the idea and so as the Indian captain Virat Kohli. Gambhir said that the four-day matches will only reduce outcomes.
“At the outset, let me say that I think four-day Test matches are a ridiculous idea and should be dropped immediately. It will invite drawn games, will have no place for spinners and will take away the charm of playing on a wearing fifth-day pitch.”
“Some felt said day-night Test cricket is the future, others felt better management of players’ fitness was the need of the hour. I also heard that cricket needs an ‘American marketing hand’ to make it more of a global game. When my turn came, I listed two aspects: lack of champion cricketers and lively pitches,” he said.
Meanwhile, former Australia batsman Mark Waugh suggested that leg byes be done away with, especially in T20 cricket reasoning a batsman shouldn’t get runs for missing a delivery.
“You know what, I’ve got a rule change in all cricket: No leg-byes, especially in T20s. That should not be two runs. Why do you get runs? You missed the ball,” he said.
Waugh was pointing to the fact after he witnessed Sydney Thunder batsman Alex Ross added runs to his team’s total after the ball had struck his pad. His fellow commentator and former England captain Michael Vaughan disagreed with his idea though.
However, Gambhir agreed to Waugh’s idea and feels leg-byes should be done away with.
“I liked what Mark Waugh had to say about leg byes, that they should be done away with. The former Australian cricketer is right when he says that batting is about playing the ball and not missing it. After a long time, a good suggestion.”
“The game also needs juicy pitches. I am all for fours and sixes in any format of the game but a reasonable balance between bat and ball will not harm. For those who are responsible should remember that bowlers are as much a part of the game as batsmen are,” Gambhir concluded.
Gautam Gambhir calls four-day Test a ‘ridiculous’ idea
