The Hindu : Sport : Give Twenty20 some time: Dravid

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 11, 2006

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Give Twenty20 some time: Dravid

Principal Correspondent

He feels the super-shorter version of the game has a great atmosphere

PHOTO: K. BHAGYA PRAKASH

EXPRESSING OPTIMISM: Dravid feels Twenty20 too might throw up some positives that can be learnt and followed in Tests.

Bangalore: The blitz and bash of Twenty20 cricket is here to stay. The BCCI may have resisted it for a while before joining the bandwagon. And with the Twenty20 World Cup scheduled in South Africa, next year, the super-shorter version of the game needs a foothold in our domestic cricket structure. Meanwhile skipper Rahul Dravid advocated patience while dealing with the evolution of Twenty20 in India.

Learning process

Speaking at the launch of the Fair and Lovely Menz Active Twenty20 tournament for the Bradman Cup, Dravid said: "Let us give it some time and we will all explore and learn along the way. I am sure the KSCA (Karnataka State Cricket Association) learnt something while organising the Bradman Cup last year. As for what kind of structure we need to support it in domestic cricket is something that we cannot decide at short notice. Yes Twenty20 does have a great atmosphere and it suits England very well, I mean a game starts at around five in the evening and gets over by eight and given the pressure on time these days, it does suit the public. As for me, I have enjoyed the two or three games I played, primarily the charity games in England and one got shortened to a ten-ten over game in which I ended up just fielding."

However the man known for his tight technique and composed batting, was in no mood to let Twenty20 traipse past Test cricket.

Importance of Test cricket

"Look Test cricket is always considered as the most critical part of the game. Yes I do agree that in some parts of the World, attendance at Test match venues has decreased but it has got nothing to do with limited overs matches or the rise of Twenty20. Irrespective of factors like dwindling attendance, Test cricket will always be the most important part," Dravid said.

On whether Twenty20 mars technique, Dravid said: "There was a similar debate when the one-dayers were introduced. Look it is all up to the individual player to take care and not let the way he plays Twenty20 affect the way he plays Tests. See even the positives of one-dayers like better fielding or sharper running between the wickets were replicated in Tests. I am sure Twenty20 too might throw up some positives that can be learnt and followed."

Pressure on batsmen too

The skipper however was quick to rework the `bowlers-under-threat' philosophy that often shadows Twenty20. "There is pressure on the batsmen too because Twenty20 is perceived as a batsman's game. And since there is the need to score quick runs even a few dot balls can be more embarrassing for a batsman while the bowlers are always expected to go for runs and their embarrassing figures are taken in the stride. I guess the pressure on both batsmen and bowlers are the same, so it is not fair to give labels to this format."

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