The Indian skipper Virat Kohli has confirmed that he is not a fan of Test matches reducing to four-days. It is been discussed by the International Cricket Council to get four-day Test matches in the ICC Test Championship from 2023. The step has been contemplated by the governing body so that it has more days to organize other tournaments.
If a four-day Test match is played, there is a loss of only 58 overs in the whole Test match. There are 98 overs in a day in the four-day Test match as compared to 90 overs in a day in tradition five-day Test match. The proliferation of T20 leagues across the globe, commercialization of the game are some of the factors that have forced ICC to consider four-day Test matches.
Kohli believes no altering should be done.
“According to me, it should not be altered. As I said, the day-night is another step towards commercializing Test cricket and you know, creating excitement around it, but it can’t be tinkered with too much. I don’t believe so,” said Kohli on the eve of the first T20 against Sri Lanka.
“You know the Day-Night Test is the most that should be changed about Test cricket, according to me,” he said.
India had played its maiden Day-Night Test match against Bangladesh recently. Kohli said there should be Test match centers and also there should be a calendar for the Test matches to bring more audience to the ground.
Kohli believes the pruning of days in the Test match will keep on happening if it is reduced to four-day Test matches.
“Then you are purely only talking about getting numbers and entertainment. I think the intent will not be right because then you will speak of three-day Tests. I mean where do you end? Then you will speak of Test cricket disappearing,” Kohli was forthright in his answer.
“So I don’t endorse that at all. I don’t think it is fair to the purest format of the game. How cricket started initially; five-day Tests was the highest of tests you can have at the international level.
On the other hand, Tim Paine, the Australian captain is also not in the favor of four-day Test matches whereas the England skipper Joe Root believes four-day Test matches should be considered in the time to come.