Cricket News

‘You cannot have 12 teams or ten teams. You keep the top 6’- Ravi Shastri gives insightful statement on Test Cricket’s Survival

Ravi Shastri, the former coach of the Men in Blue, believes in calling a spade a spade and is one of the most famous commentators in the game. He is never shy about giving his opinions and has always shared his thoughts across. He is presently working as a cricket expert for Sky Sports where he recently said that quality Test cricket can only survive if the number of teams is reduced.

He said that if Test cricket is to survive, then the longest format of the game should be limited to just the top six teams. He also opined that you cannot have 12 teams playing the format and quality should be respected over quality. He also went on to say that limiting the game to just six teams will open the window for other formats to be played.

“You cannot have 12 teams or ten teams. You keep the top six, keep the quality, and respect quality over quantity. “That’s the only way you open a window for other cricket to be played. Expand teams in one-day cricket and T20 cricket if you want the game to spread. But Test cricket will have to reduce the number of teams that play.

Ravi Shastri further said that Cricket will have to go the football way,

“The bottom line, it’s the football model. You’ve got the EPL, La Liga, the German league, the South America Copa America. In the future it’s going to be like that, you’ll have one World Cup, the big one and then the rest of it will be all different leagues happening around the world,” said Shastri.

Shastri said that under his model, Test cricket wouldn’t be limited to just six teams indefinitely but sides will have to qualify to be able to play the format.

“Whether it’s India, Australia, or England you have to qualify for red-ball series if you want to be around to play Test match cricket.”

“Then it doesn’t matter if England doesn’t go to the West Indies, or West Indies come to England. If they’re in the top six, they play, but if they’re not in the top six they don’t play,” said Shastri.

“ What is Test cricket? It tests you and for that you need quality. If there’s no quality then who’s going to watch it? You’re going to have three-day games, and two-day games if the opposition is not right. If you have countries who have never played Test cricket and then you say ‘come to India’ or ‘come to England’, in bowler-friendly conditions the game’s over in two days, two-and-a-half days. And you’ve taken money from the broadcaster for five days. So he’s going to be unhappy, the fans are going to be unhappy and the standard is going to go down.”