Purest form of Cricket is Real Cricket.....Test is Best

 

Since last two years there is lot of concern spread among the cricket fraternity and media about the survival of test cricket which is also know as purest form of cricket. Cricket experts feel test cricket is losing its popularity and too an extent they are correct as well because spectators are not turning up for the test matches at the venues where it is played. But I must say still people love test cricket and there is audience which watch the test cricket as well but on television and on Internet.  So it is too early to say that test cricket is vanishing. According to me purest form of cricket is still test cricket, only thing require is to promote this format of the game aggressively and intelligently.

The first officially recognized Test match commenced on 15 March 1877, contested by England and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground(MCG), where Australia won by 45 runs. England won the second ever match (also at the MCG) by four wickets, thus drawing the series 1–1. From this first test series in 1877, more than 2000 test matches have been played in a period spanning over a century, so it is not correct to say that test cricket is vanishing. It has survived for more than century which itself shows that people love the longer format of cricket.

It's hard to believe that Test cricket is in trouble, especially as India and England play out the first of their clashes to be the top-ranked Test nation in front of packed stands at Lord's. But the possible demise of the sport's oldest, most testing, most complex and most loved format has been a talking point for some time. Ongoing series between India and West Indies is drawing very few people to the venue but one has to remember that West Indies is not the same team as it was in 70s and 80s. So lack of contest is solely responsible for less crowd. I think BCCI must take test cricket out of the metros and play it at smaller venues where till date people have been deprived of live test cricket. Live test cricket will definitely become novelty for the people of smaller cities and will definitely go and watch the test match and this way it will get more popular and its reach will become more wider.

As International Cricket Council Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat pointed out last week, Test cricket has never been marketed as aggressively or cohesively as ODIs and T20s. That's partly because, with its endless bilateral series, the only outcome of which is to move up or down a ranking decided by an complex mathematical formula. Test cricket lacks the sort of focal point provided by the World Cup or World Twenty20. The solution is the World Test Championship, recently confirmed for England in 2013, where the four top-ranked teams at the time, right now, it would be India, South Africa, England and Sri Lanka will battle it out to be the first ever official champion of Test cricket.

It's a good idea, but cricket has never done anything like this before and inevitably there are complications. One is that the sport would have three different world title-holders but then, with the rankings, it sort of does already. A bigger problem is that the Test format has never lent itself to knock-out competitions as it involves a lot of draws, and obviously people don't want joint world champions, and audience certainly don’t entertain drawn semifinal. But I think for semi-finals rules can be changed and which every team scores more runs in entire test match must be declared winner and this way draw can be avoided. Same rule can be  applied for the final as well.

Timeless test match is also an good option to fetch the result and I think, the way batsmen play aggressive cricket, timeless test will not last long more than 6 days. So timeless test is also a very good option to be looked at. Apart from this audience must be treated like VIPs at the venues and ticket rates must be slashed, so that common man can afford it. I think creating picnic like atmosphere at ground will certainly popularise the test cricket. I must say test cricket is  still the best format and recently we witnessed one of the best test match of this decade between South Africa and Australia at Capetown which eventually won by South Africa even after conceding the lead of 188 runs and lot of spectators thronged to ground to watch this interesting test match, so it is really hard to believe that test cricket is vanishing. If it is played between two competitive sides than it will certainly attract the crowds to the venue.

I think ICC also have to take initiative in promoting its  associate countries to play test cricket. According to me, ICC have to make a pool of 8 team each. One pool will have ICC ranked Top 8 team and another pool will have ICC ranked Bottom 8 teams. ICC have to promote 6 good associate nations like Ireland, Netherlands, etc. to play test cricket. This will definitely increase the interest among the people of associate nations in test cricket.

The team which tops the Bottom 8 group over the period of one year will automatically qualify for the Top 8 group and team which ends last in Top 8 group will automatically gets demoted to the Bottom 8 group. This fear and happiness of going up and down in the pool will certainly increase the competitiveness and quality of test cricket as Bottom 8  group teams will look to get promotion and Top 8 group teams will certainly try to avoid the demotion and this will definitely make the spectator happy. test cricket will get more teams with this formula and become very exciting as well.

So there is way forward for test cricket and I am sure test cricket will never die.As a cricket lover I don’t want it to die, no matter any number of shorter formats introduced, test cricket will always remain closer to my heart.

Team India - The World Champions of Cricket

In 1983, Kapil Dev achieved it. In 2003 Sourav Ganguly gave it near miss. In 2011, Mahendra Singh Dhoni achieved it again. Now Team India is World Champions of Cricket and its a great gift to the 1.2 billion people. All the prayers and wishes heard by God and he gifted Indians with most precious gift and that is World Cup. It will remain in memory of the people for long time because it happened after the wait of 28 long years. On 25th June, 1983 I was too young to understand the cricket and World Cup but as I grew up I understood that achievement and now 2nd April 2011, I experienced that thrill and joy which I missed in 1983. It was mighty West Indies  in 1983 which tasted defeat and Sri Lanka in 2011 lost to Team India.

It is a cup of billion hopes and it will impact the psyche of the people of this country. The country which is going through tough phase where corrupt politicians and their policies haunting the public. I believe World Cup victory certainly brought smile on the faces.We must thank our heroes who made it possible for us after 28 years. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the captain of Team India did few mistakes in initial stages of the tournament. He was out of form and faced lot of criticism for his decisions but I must say 'Cometh the hour, Cometh the man'. Since quarter-finals he did not falter for a single moment. He learnt from his mistakes which he committed in league phase and corrected them in the knockout phase. He played crucial innings in finals and lead his team to the glory after failing with bat in entire tournament. It looked like he saved his best for this game and delivered  when it needed the most. He is a leader and perfect role model for new generation. He showed the courage to admit his mistakes and he also did not forget to mention the contribution of his seniors in this victory when he gave credit to Dravid, Kumble and Ganguly for this victory. I think he is not Captain he is a Leader.

Next comes our very own 'GOD' Sachin Tendulkar who was the inspiration and instrumental in this victory. After playing sixth World Cup he achieved what he wanted to, which show his immense patience. He waited for 22 long years and worked hard without getting disheartened from the losses in earlier World Cups and had the belief that he will achieve it before his retirement. It is this belief and hard work which has given him the status of 'GOD' in this country. He is  inspiration for this entire team and every member of this team motivated to do it for Sachin Tendulkar. Great example of motivation and self-belief indeed. Finally 'GOD' achieved what he wanted to and its great and most important news that 'GOD' will continue to play cricket even after World Cup victory and I hope he never retire. At the age of 38 he is playing like never before and it looks like we will watch him in action in next World Cup as well. 

Yuvraj Singh, gone through tough phase, dropped from the test side, future as a cricketer looked bleak, struggled with various injuries and thought of quitting cricket as well but I think whatever happened with Yuvraj was just a lesson to him from the destiny because he got everything easily before this bad phase but last one year changed him completely as a player and turned him into match-winner for Team India when it mattered the most. This also shows how bad time makes people tougher and  invincible. So bad time also have its advantages and it certainly does wonders and it is proved from the Yuvraj's life. He is declared 'Man of the Tournament'. Now I hope he returns to the test cricket as well and do wonders in longer format as well. He is one player who got the new lease of life in this World Cup and came out much improved cricketer as it also added another dimension to his skills and that is his much improved bowling. he was gifted with immense of talent and but that was not channelized. This World World Cup did that.

Apart from these 3 people there 12 people who played good supporting role and they were as important as these 3 players were. Sehwag, Gambhir, Zaheer, Harbhajan, Nehra, Munaf, Chawla, Sreesanth, Virat Kohli, R.Ashwin, Yusuf Pathan and Suresh Raina, all contributed towards this huge success and according to me they were unsung heroes of this World Cup. Each of them delivered when it mattered  and they kept the interest of team above everything. Hats-off to them for providing such a glory to this great country called 'INDIA'. Apart from players,  coach Gary Kirsten and his support team did wonders from behind the curtains and their contribution  to this victory is cannot be measured by materialistic things. Its pity that Kirsten is leaving Team India after this glory but I think he has given new heights to this Indian team and if possible, keep him with this team.

Now, Dhoni's match winning sixer will also be remembered along with Kapil Dev  catching Vivian Richards in 1983 World Cup. India needed this victory badly and it will give birth to hew hopes and aspirations. This victory also established the fact that India is driving force in World Cricket and World Cricket and ICC is nothing without India. Let's hope our team keeps winning and bring lot more glory to us. It is 'Cup of Hope' because people who made it possible, most of them came from the places which are very difficult to find in the map of this country.