Too early to comment on proposal to mandate four-day Test: Ganguly 

Four-Day Test could be the norm from the beginning of next FTP cycle in 2023-31.

Four-Day Test could be mandated | GettyThere have been reports that the ICC is seriously considering mandating four-day Test from the beginning of next FTP cycle from 2023-31. But, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly says, it'll be "too early" to comment whether such an idea will be accepted and embraced by all Test-playing nations especially the wealthier ones backed by huge broadcast market. 

"First we will have to see the proposal, let it come and then we will see. It's too early to say. Can't comment just like this," PTI quoted Ganguly as saying. It is believed, the new concept is borne out of the minds of financially weaker cricket boards, for whom Test cricket will be less of a burden in terms of finance if played from Thursdays to Sundays with increased number of overs each day. 

Read Also: ICC cricket committee to consider mandating four-day Test

Four-Day Test will also help free-up a lot of the cricket calendar, currently filled with bilateral limited-overs cricket and T20 leagues across the globe. There have been two official four-day Tests played in recent years between England and Ireland, and prior to that, one South Africa played at home with Zimbabwe in the D/N version. 

Anyway, more than 50% of the Tests since the beginning of 2018 have ended inside four days; however, the administrators pushing for this, would be best advised to also take the view of the players who might not really be willing for it especially because the major point of difference between first-class and Test cricket is that fifth day. It's a special status that the longest version of the game has enjoyed for long at this level. 

(Inputs from PTI)

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 31 Dec, 2019

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