Former England captain Mike Gatting on Tuesday stressed that five-day Tests have more possibility of having results than the proposed four-day format, joining the chorus of cricketers who have opposed the idea. “Test cricket is unique, we keep saying it day in and day out. Sadly, it’s the administrators who don’t play, who understand that they have a problem in scheduling I suspect. Therefore, they don’t understand what a unique game Test cricket is,” Gatting said at the launch of the Tendulkar Middlesex Global Academy DY Patil Sports Centre.
So, it’s good to have a chat, let’s talk about it so that people can understand both sides of the story.”
Gatting played 79 Tests for England scoring 4409 runs.
“If there’s less Test cricket fine, but I will be very, very opposed to getting rid of Test cricket, it has to be five days.
“If you have bad weather in England or South Africa anyway, it’s a draw if you lose a day, so with five days you get a chance of having a result. It’s worth talking, but five-day Test cricket is unique in many ways.
“So in those four-day talks, let’s talk about what are the areas we might actually try and improve the promotions of Test cricket and ways of making it a little better to fit it in the schedule,” Gatting said.
India skipper Virat Kohli had said that promotion and marketing could be done better for spectators who come to watch Test cricket, especially in the subcontinent.
India played their first day-night Test last year at Eden Gardens against Bangladesh and Kohli had welcomed the move, saying the team is ready to play pink ball Tests in future.
“The fact that Virat Kohli has said that day-night Test cricket is something that he wants to play is fantastic and was great to see what happened in Kolkata (where India played their first day-night Test).
“Sadly, Bangladesh didn’t play their best or India were just too good, one of the two. But the crowds were good for day/night Test. Maybe that’s the way,” added the 62-year-old who also featured in 92 ODIs for England.
