Legendary Pakistan batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq is disappointed with the cricket boards across the world for promoting the T20 cricket at the cost of Test cricket, saying they are sending out the message to the players to focus on T20s and it is of prime importance for them by doing so.
For the past few years, the T20 fixtures are dominating the cricket calendar and many youngsters from across the globe are focusing more on white-ball cricket given the emergence of several T20 leagues, which indeed has put the future of Test cricket in danger and even many players and experts have expressed concern over the future of the traditional format of the game.
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A significant number of fans have preferred T20s over Tests because of the shorter duration of the game and former Pakistan captain admitted that T20 cricket is more entertaining and earns the cricket boards and players more money, but said Test cricket should not be sacrificed to elevate T20 cricket.
He further said the “real beauty” of the game lies in Test cricket despite T20 cricket providing entertainment and the cricket boards must maintain the balance between the two formats of the game as whatever the path they will choose, the players will follow the same path in the future.
Inzamam said on his YouTube channel, “The focus, currently, is mainly on T20 cricket. It goes for all the teams and players. Yes, I understand that T20 cricket is entertaining and people enjoy watching the format but the real beauty lies in test matches wherein you find out the quality of a batsman. So, that should be surely be maintained.”
He further added, “T20 cricket entertains people and it should definitely be played but one thing should not be pushed down to bring the other up. Test cricket (and its stature) should remain as it is and you can always bring the standards of T20 cricket up simultaneously.
But don't end Test cricket and replace it with T20 cricket. If this happens, it will be unfair to both the sport and the players because if the boards devote more focus to T20 cricket over Tests, then the players will also follow the same path. Moreover, even the youngsters and the next crop of cricketers will also start focusing more on T20 cricket from the start.”
Inzamam concluded, “If T20 cricket is more entertaining and gets you more money, sure, do it. But not at the cost of Test cricket. It shouldn't be the case that you are reducing a three-match series to two Tests and increasing a three-match T20I series to five. The board shouldn't send out a message that players should play on T20 cricket and that T20 is of prime importance to us.”
