Indian captain Virat Kohli said there is not enough motivation for people towards Test cricket and that’s why every team is not able to compete in the traditional format of the game. He is gearing up to lead India in the five-match Test series against England starting on August 4 at Trent Bridge.
The upcoming England-India Test series marks the start of the second cycle of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC 2021-23) and Kohli said it is a very positive move to bring the interest back in the format while crediting the players for keeping Test cricket alive in recent years.
Kohli told Dinesh Karthik in an interview for Sky Sports: “Test cricket would have been in trouble three years back as well, but I think it's the players that keep Test cricket alive. To be honest, if we did not have the mindset to play Test cricket and be so passionate for it, then it would have taken a huge hit, or that would have given a huge blow to Test cricket all over the world. I can assure you that.”
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The skipper further explained, “WTC is a very positive move, it is a step in the right direction, there is everything at stake in every Test match you play and I think it all depends what the players want from Test cricket. If people-watching on television feel like I do not want to miss a ball, that is eventually what is going to keep Test cricket alive.”
On being asked why there aren’t enough teams really competing in Test cricket, Kohli said: “Firstly, you need to be honest with yourself. You know Test cricket is tough, even when you are one of the top teams in the world, you can go into space where you do not want it. At certain stages, you can feel like do I want to do this over five days? Are you ready to go out there on day three when stakes are against you? Are you strong enough to do that?”
He signed off by saying, “Firstly, looking yourself at the mirror and asking do you want to play Test and if the answer is yes then just go out there and be relentless. I honestly feel there is not enough motivation for people towards Test cricket, something I have observed. That is why invariably you see, teams giving up in Test cricket.”
(With ANI Inputs)
