Please Focus on the Longer Format of the Game – Virat Kohli Advises Youngsters
Nov 30, 2017 at 11:34 AM
In what can be said as a much-needed advice for the upcoming generation, India skipper Virat Kohli threw his support firmly behind Test cricket in addition to urging the youngsters to focus on the oldest and the longest format of the game.
The meteoric rise of T20 cricket and the lucrative league cricket around the globe has played a major role in the steady decline of Test cricket’s popularity. Not very long ago, the stadiums used to remain jam-packed even during a Test match, but the scenario has changed at the moment which is very alarming for the traditional format of the game.
Moreover, the upcoming generation is also looking more interested in the slam-bang T20 cricket, giving those who identify Test cricket as the purest form of the game a lot to ponder off.
At a time when the ICC and the other member bodies are trying their best to attract the crowd to Test cricket once again, Kohli’s support will be much welcomed. The 29-year old, currently the number one ranked ODI and T20I batsman, expressed his views while speaking at the Delhi and Districts Cricket Administration’s first annual conclave on Wednesday (November 29).
“I see only Unmukt Chand sitting here. But I want to tell all of the young generation; please focus on the longer format of the game,” Kohli said. “I believe Test cricket is paramount for the game to sustain globally. Test cricket is fighting for its survival at the moment. Youngsters need to take to Test cricket for it to survive, not only in our country but globally,” he added.
Legendary spinner Bishan Singh Bedi, who was also attending the event, opined the current generation treats the first-class tournaments as platforms to get lucrative contracts in the Indian Premier League.
“In our days, Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy were stairs to the national team. But these days, the young boys look at these tournaments only as a means to get a lucrative IPL contract. If you are not playing for the Indian team, you should be playing Ranji trophy. It’s sad to see India players have started avoiding Ranji Trophy,” Bedi said.
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