Test cricket – a dying game !

A lot of sports these days have been smeared with false charisma and unwanted entertainment, its not about ability and temperament anymore, its more about the looks, the physique and the entertainment factor than the ability, temperament and attitude. Now many of you might call me a purist but I feel that cricket has not really benefitted from the whole t20 fiasco that has been going around in the world for the past several years. The game has become about power hitting and muscles more than about touch and timing.

Although its not fair to generalize this but most of you people will agree that although Virat is breaking all of Sachin’s records it was a a real pleasure to watch Sachin bat, a calm , determined and non animated character just doing what he did best, going about  his business winning (or at least trying to win) games for his country. Although Virat does have the same end goal in mind, the mannerism that he adapts while doing that are hardly the same.

Cricket is becoming a reality show more than a team sport, I would like to say unwantedly but I don’t think that that would be correct.  The dancing cheerleaders, blasting music off the speakers and after match parties don’t help in upholding cricket’s reputation as the gentleman’s game.  Now many people would opine that its bringing more money to the game and the players who are playing it, my counter to that argument would be .. why stretch the boundaries of the game between 450 overs (90 / day) to 50 overs and then add more masala to it. I would like to advocate for something in between may be 60 overs over 2 days and 4 innings.

And as far as the money is concerned if presented the right way TV will bring in the money in any game (however, the right presentation is still the key). I feel that test cricket was dying around the world because not a lot of thought went into presenting it, the game is old and very methodological and though a lot of people liked watching it many were bored of the monotonicity of the presentation of the game. Playing with the same ball for all the 450 overs, Not being able to strategize in team formation over a period of 5 days and playing in same conditions ( in daylight ) all add to the monotonicity of the game. Adding super substitutes, choice between white, red and pink balls and being able to choose between different pitches for different innings are all really interesting ideas that bring in more strategies to the game and help make the game more interesting for the viewers.

Not all is bad about the t20 format, it has got more eyes to the game for sure, but in my opinion it is driving out the purists of the game. It is faster, more enthralling but it is not a sport anymore, its just entertainment. May be you have a different opinion about t20 cricket, or may be you have different idea about improving the test game. Please share your opinion in the comments section below.