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Test cricket will die if India gives it up: Greg Chappell

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Australian legend and former India coach Greg Chappell is worried that Test cricket will take a massive hit due to the Covid-19 pandemic, believing India holds the key to its resurrection thanks to money factor.

"Test cricket will die the day India gives it up. I cannot see countries other than India, Australia and England investing in young cricketers to take up Test cricket," said Chappell during a chat session on the Facebook handle of the Playwrite Foundation.

"I have nothing against T20 cricket. It is easier to sell to the public. For Tests, the monetary issue is going to be massive. But at the same time, Indian captain Virat Kohli calls Test matches the ultimate cricket, so there is hope that it will survive," he added.

Chappell's two-year tenure as India's head coach was tumultuous. Sachin Tendulkar in his book, 'Playing it My Way', had even called Chappell a ringmaster who imposed his ideas on players without being concerned about whether they felt comfortable about them or not.

However, before Chappell, India were poor chasers. In a year after he arrived, they went on to win 17 successive matches batting second. It was during his tenure that India won a Test series in the Caribbean after 35 years, in 2006. India also registered its first Test victory in South Africa in the same year.

The greatest gift Chappell gave Indian cricket was Mahendra Singh Dhoni. There was never a doubt about the capability of Dhoni, but Chappell did have a hand in the evolution of the cricketer from someone who wanted to hit every ball out of the park to one who was willing to dig in and finish the game for his team.

"I vividly remember that I was left awestruck when I saw him batting for the first time. He was definitely the most exciting cricketer in India at that time. He used to hit the ball from the most unusual positions. He is the most powerful batsman I have ever seen."
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Link: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com...-it-up-greg-chappell/articleshow/75707447.cms
 
I see it the other way around.

I think the best future for Test cricket is if India abandons it and takes the white ball players into a year round IPL.

Cricket would lose the Warners of this world. England and Australia players would probably reduce from $1 million per year to $600,000.

But India would mainly recruit foreigners under the age of 21 and over the age of 30. Most players would still stick with national team duty in their peak years, then go to India for 5 or 6 years of white ball cricket at $2-5 million per year to fund their retirement.So I’d be happy to see India depart....for the benefit of Test cricket.
 
Junaids said:
I see it the other way around.

I think the best future for Test cricket is if India abandons it and takes the white ball players into a year round IPL.

Cricket would lose the Warners of this world. England and Australia players would probably reduce from $1 million per year to $600,000.

But India would mainly recruit foreigners under the age of 21 and over the age of 30. Most players would still stick with national team duty in their peak years, then go to India for 5 or 6 years of white ball cricket at $2-5 million per year to fund their retirement.So I’d be happy to see India depart....for the benefit of Test cricket.
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Only if Greg Chappell could see it.
 
Junaids said:
I see it the other way around.

I think the best future for Test cricket is if India abandons it and takes the white ball players into a year round IPL.

Cricket would lose the Warners of this world. England and Australia players would probably reduce from $1 million per year to $600,000.

But India would mainly recruit foreigners under the age of 21 and over the age of 30. Most players would still stick with national team duty in their peak years, then go to India for 5 or 6 years of white ball cricket at $2-5 million per year to fund their retirement.So I’d be happy to see India depart....for the benefit of Test cricket.
Click to expand...

Hitman said:
Only if Greg Chappell could see it.
Click to expand...
I guess test cricket was there before India and shall continue after India. It’s survival depends more on England and Australia.

Nowadays to remain relevant and to maintain followers, people like to rate up India.
 
Test cricket will die if England and Australia gives it up.

ODI's will die if Australia and India gives it up.

T20's will die if Pakistan and West Indies gives it up.

IPL will die if India gives it up.

:inti
 
I don't think they'll let it die. India needs Test cricket to help promote or authenticate its IPL roster.

A Virat Kohli that has done well in Test cricket is a far more valuable asset for the IPL than the same player with no Test experience.

The same logic applies to playing ODIs and T20Is.

International cricket allows the BCCI to promote its entire roster of players (foreign and local), make money from sales/TV rights, and recruit new talent. Even if they lose a bit of money from one format, it's still worth it considering these benefits.

Otherwise, I'm sure the BCCI would have turned the IPL into an 8-10 month season years ago.
 
The Ashes series will continue forever, last as they were first, no matter what other nations do.
 
if you are a great test player then odi and t20 should generally be easier provided you have some transferable skills.
 
Junaids said:
I see it the other way around.

I think the best future for Test cricket is if India abandons it and takes the white ball players into a year round IPL.

Cricket would lose the Warners of this world. England and Australia players would probably reduce from $1 million per year to $600,000.

But India would mainly recruit foreigners under the age of 21 and over the age of 30. Most players would still stick with national team duty in their peak years, then go to India for 5 or 6 years of white ball cricket at $2-5 million per year to fund their retirement.So I’d be happy to see India depart....for the benefit of Test cricket.
Click to expand...

Is there any reason to believe IPL won’t recruit players between 21 to 30 or other way, players between 21 to 30 would rush for $6000/Test, instead of $2-3mn for three/months? If top players could leave for WSC at their prime age, knowing that their International (Basically Test) career would be over, why would modern players not leave for IPL when it’s top earners could hire WSC players as their driver (and just tips money will be higher than what Packer paid)?

What Greg said is absolutely spot on - apart from Ashes in every two years, it’s BCCI that’s backing Test cricket otherwise it would have died by now elsewhere. WIN, PAK, SRL have left Test cricket long back, NZ on way & SAF might join soon while it didn’t even start in BD, AFG... IRL, ZIM, SCT are not even in frame - apart from these three teams, others give a damn for Test cricket, let alone FC set up.

If you had read his statements carefully, should have noticed that Greg didn’t say India is the saviour of Test cricket, rather what he said is something I wrote here many times - this game is learned, developed by longer format, in domestic FC system, but unfortunately that doesn’t earn money. For developing Test quality players, basically you need to earn money from retail outlets and put it back to factory - that’s exactly where the others are lagging. Greg is saying exactly same - outside two traditional powers (ENG, AUS), it’s only India that has some focus on FC cricket hence they’ll keep producing Test quality players with 10-12 years shelf life; others will still produce skilled players, but ruined in two, Max three years time. More importantly, these players give a damn to be a good Test cricketer.

I give you a classic example - take these three players - Shadab, Hasan & Faheem. Three years back all three came with a potential of ~100 Test career. Since then, check how many FC games they have played and where are they now. Next batch is Shaheen, Naseem & Haider - lets see where PSL takes them in 2-3 years. 30 years back, I saw a 23 years young man who joined Bob Woolmer at Warwickshire in the summer of 1992.... there is another kid from those Islands - Simron Hetmyer; our Miraz got him out 6-7 times almost by calling name; Hetmyer doesn’t have the maturity to resist couple of overs & survive to cash on later - this doesn’t happen by genetics or tal*nt; this is developed, nurtured skill - through FC system.

The term “talent” in over used in PP; but I have seen some genuine talent in my own eyes couple of years back when I went to a BKSP training match - those boys did win the U19 WC, not to my surprise, and I genuinely believe some of those are potentially among the best emerging players on planet - 3/4 batsmen, a left arm spinner, couple of pacers and a brilliant WK. Put them into a proper FC system, you can expect 500+ Tests at very high level among that squad. But, I know what’ll happen once they leave high performance camp - since they are better than average players, each one will get hundreds of offers - from BPL to Dhaka/Chittagong league to club games across country almost everyday throughout the cricket season - their game will stagnate by 3/4 years without proper grooming in quality FC cricket .... result - another Soumya Sharker. Five years back this guy Soumya displayed scintillating stroke play against PAK & SAF pacers - now he does that against Dhaka League pacers.... in short, Greg has said exactly same thing - he didn’t taunt that without India, Test world would miss “tal*nt” or they’ll block players inside 21-30 bracket, rather he is suggesting that, apart from those three, others are in self destruction mood.
 
This is how BCCI sees it's brands :-


IPL - (RAW...is War)
Test cricket - SmackDown
ODIs - ECW
Matches with SRL, WI, Bangla, Pak : NXT :yk
 
MMHS said:
Is there any reason to believe IPL won’t recruit players between 21 to 30 or other way, players between 21 to 30 would rush for $6000/Test, instead of $2-3mn for three/months? If top players could leave for WSC at their prime age, knowing that their International (Basically Test) career would be over, why would modern players not leave for IPL when it’s top earners could hire WSC players as their driver (and just tips money will be higher than what Packer paid)?

What Greg said is absolutely spot on - apart from Ashes in every two years, it’s BCCI that’s backing Test cricket otherwise it would have died by now elsewhere. WIN, PAK, SRL have left Test cricket long back, NZ on way & SAF might join soon while it didn’t even start in BD, AFG... IRL, ZIM, SCT are not even in frame - apart from these three teams, others give a damn for Test cricket, let alone FC set up.

If you had read his statements carefully, should have noticed that Greg didn’t say India is the saviour of Test cricket, rather what he said is something I wrote here many times - this game is learned, developed by longer format, in domestic FC system, but unfortunately that doesn’t earn money. For developing Test quality players, basically you need to earn money from retail outlets and put it back to factory - that’s exactly where the others are lagging. Greg is saying exactly same - outside two traditional powers (ENG, AUS), it’s only India that has some focus on FC cricket hence they’ll keep producing Test quality players with 10-12 years shelf life; others will still produce skilled players, but ruined in two, Max three years time. More importantly, these players give a damn to be a good Test cricketer.

I give you a classic example - take these three players - Shadab, Hasan & Faheem. Three years back all three came with a potential of ~100 Test career. Since then, check how many FC games they have played and where are they now. Next batch is Shaheen, Naseem & Haider - lets see where PSL takes them in 2-3 years. 30 years back, I saw a 23 years young man who joined Bob Woolmer at Warwickshire in the summer of 1992.... there is another kid from those Islands - Simron Hetmyer; our Miraz got him out 6-7 times almost by calling name; Hetmyer doesn’t have the maturity to resist couple of overs & survive to cash on later - this doesn’t happen by genetics or tal*nt; this is developed, nurtured skill - through FC system.

The term “talent” in over used in PP; but I have seen some genuine talent in my own eyes couple of years back when I went to a BKSP training match - those boys did win the U19 WC, not to my surprise, and I genuinely believe some of those are potentially among the best emerging players on planet - 3/4 batsmen, a left arm spinner, couple of pacers and a brilliant WK. Put them into a proper FC system, you can expect 500+ Tests at very high level among that squad. But, I know what’ll happen once they leave high performance camp - since they are better than average players, each one will get hundreds of offers - from BPL to Dhaka/Chittagong league to club games across country almost everyday throughout the cricket season - their game will stagnate by 3/4 years without proper grooming in quality FC cricket .... result - another Soumya Sharker. Five years back this guy Soumya displayed scintillating stroke play against PAK & SAF pacers - now he does that against Dhaka League pacers.... in short, Greg has said exactly same thing - he didn’t taunt that without India, Test world would miss “tal*nt” or they’ll block players inside 21-30 bracket, rather he is suggesting that, apart from those three, others are in self destruction mood.
Click to expand...

To me it’s just human behaviour.

We know from Packer, the South African rebel tours, IPL and ICL - as well as South Africans taking Kolpak contracts that:

1. Most players are only willing to desert national duty for a big payday after they turn 30 - Greig, Knott, Underwood et al.

2. Most young unestablished sportsmen will compare with what their friends playing local professional football earn. That means even $100,000 per year for an under-23 is probably enough.
 
india revived test cricket. Salute to bcci. BCCI may be power hungry but they did a fine job to ensure that test remains the ultimate format.
 
I have said exactly this multiple times here - Apart from the BIG 3 test cricket is not a fair competition as other teams do not have the means to support and prepare their players for test cricket and simply reliant on odd self made talent turning up to keep themselves competitive in this format.

Have you ever seen teams like Pakistan firing their coach on test match performance? But they fired the coach straight after the WC exist. Test cricket is already almost an irrelevant sport in the world as only 3/4 teams are competitive and trying to be competitive. The good thing is that 3/4 include India otherwise it would just die as even the other teams in BIG 3 are reliant on playing India to keep themselves in BIG 3.

Kholi said what he said as he either felt the need to say it or was told by the BCCI to say it as the number of people attending test cricket in India were getting lower and lower.
 
Pakistan is an outlier. We have unique problems, which others don't.

Big3 have the resources which other don't and it's been showing up these past few years.
 
Pakhs said:
I have said exactly this multiple times here - Apart from the BIG 3 test cricket is not a fair competition as other teams do not have the means to support and prepare their players for test cricket and simply reliant on odd self made talent turning up to keep themselves competitive in this format.

Have you ever seen teams like Pakistan firing their coach on test match performance? But they fired the coach straight after the WC exist. Test cricket is already almost an irrelevant sport in the world as only 3/4 teams are competitive and trying to be competitive. The good thing is that 3/4 include India otherwise it would just die as even the other teams in BIG 3 are reliant on playing India to keep themselves in BIG 3.

Kholi said what he said as he either felt the need to say it or was told by the BCCI to say it as the number of people attending test cricket in India were getting lower and lower.
Click to expand...
Pakistan could ams should be in camp at the NCA with Pakistan A, practising in Test conditions during the Pandemic.

It would cost peanuts. And they are too casual and complacent to do it.
 
Junaids said:
Pakistan could ams should be in camp at the NCA with Pakistan A, practising in Test conditions during the Pandemic.

It would cost peanuts. And they are too casual and complacent to do it.
Click to expand...

I am afraid this is not enough! You need to invest in grass root coaches - facilities - and have a proper first class system where test cricketers are encouraged to develop their games which all cost too much money which is not sustainable for teams like Pakistan.
 
Greg Chappell's theatrics see no end. Unless he wants an IPL contract.

Nothing will happen to any form of cricket if any particular country is out of it.
 
Test cricket will die if privileged SENA boys give it up.
 
WhenSultansBowled said:
Pakistan is an outlier. We have unique problems, which others don't.

Big3 have the resources which other don't and it's been showing up these past few years.
Click to expand...

why do people think india ha e resources?rofl. bcci has resources but that doesn't mean they share it with the players from first class systems etc.

Ipl is where the money is.

india is still a 3rd world country with poor facilities, infrastructure, diet/nutriton and access to other amenities.

The standard of living for the average person is still poor by international standards.
 
county type format should be replicated in india with higher pay. I know we have ranji but they should increase the pay and so should other boards for test cricket.

That way players will have two options and they can choose to play in either ipl/t20 franchises or national first class leagues.
 
The reality is that as live spectator Sport, test Cricket is dead except the series involving England, Australia and India . Nobody cares for test Cricket in PK, SL, NZ, SA, BD or the Windies. If these countries play each other, the fans sometimes number the low 1000s at best.
 
Junaids said:
I see it the other way around.

I think the best future for Test cricket is if India abandons it and takes the white ball players into a year round IPL.

Cricket would lose the Warners of this world. England and Australia players would probably reduce from $1 million per year to $600,000.

But India would mainly recruit foreigners under the age of 21 and over the age of 30. Most players would still stick with national team duty in their peak years, then go to India for 5 or 6 years of white ball cricket at $2-5 million per year to fund their retirement.So I’d be happy to see India depart....for the benefit of Test cricket.
Click to expand...

In direct contrast to this, CA keeps inviting BCCI every couple of years. In fact CA wants more test cricket with BCCI with all this talk about going to a 5 test series from existing 4 tests. Not to mention all the NOC's for IPL.
 
Bewal Express said:
The reality is that as live spectator Sport, test Cricket is dead except the series involving England, Australia and India . Nobody cares for test Cricket in PK, SL, NZ, SA, BD or the Windies. If these countries play each other, the fans sometimes number the low 1000s at best.
Click to expand...

Spot on. Test cricket has no legs outside the Big3. Even there BCCI makes more money from ODI's than tests on their international fixtures.
 
Rana said:
Test cricket will die if privileged SENA boys give it up.
Click to expand...

It's pretty much already dead in SA and NZ. In fact NZ now prioritizes ODI's and T20I's. So that only leaves the E and A of SENA.
 
Pakhs said:
I am afraid this is not enough! You need to invest in grass root coaches - facilities - and have a proper first class system where test cricketers are encouraged to develop their games which all cost too much money which is not sustainable for teams like Pakistan.
Click to expand...

Pakistan has a huge fan base. Second only to India. So I disagree that what you say is not sustainable. The PCB has to tap the fan base and maximize all revenue sources/streams to get the $$$ to do what needs to be done improve cricket in Pakistan.
 
Pakhs said:
I am afraid this is not enough! You need to invest in grass root coaches - facilities - and have a proper first class system where test cricketers are encouraged to develop their games which all cost too much money which is not sustainable for teams like Pakistan.
Click to expand...

Pakistan has a huge fan base. Second only to India. So I disagree that what you say is not sustainable. The PCB has to tap the fan base and maximize all revenue sources/streams to get the $$$ to do what needs to be done improve cricket in Pakistan.
 
U$ofA said:
Pakistan has a huge fan base. Second only to India. So I disagree that what you say is not sustainable. The PCB has to tap the fan base and maximize all revenue sources/streams to get the $$$ to do what needs to be done improve cricket in Pakistan.
Click to expand...

As a live spectator Sport, test Cricket brings in small numbers in PK because the cricket on slow low wickets isn't entertaining enough for most people. Other factors such as poor spectator facilities also don't encourage people to come to grounds
 
Junaids said:
To me it’s just human behaviour.

We know from Packer, the South African rebel tours, IPL and ICL - as well as South Africans taking Kolpak contracts that:

1. Most players are only willing to desert national duty for a big payday after they turn 30 - Greig, Knott, Underwood et al.

2. Most young unestablished sportsmen will compare with what their friends playing local professional football earn. That means even $100,000 per year for an under-23 is probably enough.
Click to expand...

That wasn’t even the case in 1977 (majority of WSC squad were U30) when Test cricket was zenith of all cricket and compared to IPL, payments were peanuts. Now, even English & Australia’s players are becoming white ball specialists. By mentioning WSC, you actually have proved Greg’s point - even those days WSC had senior cricketers from Australia, England while Indians avoided it all together - most of the WIN & PAK players were in their 20s.

What you are considering in current context, when IPL has its own window and it hardly costs International schedule, because BCCI’s focus still is on National Cricket first (& Test cricket as well). Imagine a situation with soccer league style 25 weeks long IPL with May be 20 teams in two divisions and around 100 top players across globe joining there and you have to pick one - International Cap or play IPL + 3/4 other such PLs & SLs around - how many of the players in that bracket (21-30) would wait till turning 30? Today, we are thinking that young players with quality (technique & temperament wise) will keep coming, because current generation is still groomed through whatever FC system is there - take out current 25+ aged players, unless youngsters are groomed through FC system in next few years, just wait to see where the skill set goes down.

The problem with cricket (Test cricket) is not India, Australia or England - the problem is that after 150 years, still apart from these three, other countries haven’t been able to develop a self sustainable system, where their internal/own revenue sources can feed their domestic system. I have read lot from you regarding the “ICC hand outs” for BCCI & big three.... have you ever thought without the ICC money, from where other boards will survive? Then add to the popularity of Test cricket, cost associated with First Class cricket and the return in investment, Greg actually is right.

I am not sure why you turned his comments towards IPL, which has nothing to do in this regard - every board these days are focused on T20 franchise league which is alarming for Test cricket; IPL is just T20 with steroid. What he has said is basically this - if BCCI/India leaves focus on Test cricket, after 150 years, Test cricket will go back to 1880s, where two countries exchange Test series in every alternate year; that’s bitter reality.
 
Bewal Express said:
As a live spectator Sport, test Cricket brings in small numbers in PK because the cricket on slow low wickets isn't entertaining enough for most people. Other factors such as poor spectator facilities also don't encourage people to come to grounds
Click to expand...

From this I have to assume that all the talk on this forum about Test cricket being the best format is an opinion of a super minority of the fans.
 
Last edited:
U$ofA said:
From this I have to assume that all the talk on this forum about Test cricket being the best format is an opinion of a super minority of the fans.
Click to expand...

Test Cricket is still the format loved most by fans still but most fans dont want to go and watch a days play. Test Cricket needs to good pitches and fast bowlers to make it exciting.
 
U$ofA said:
Pakistan has a huge fan base. Second only to India. So I disagree that what you say is not sustainable. The PCB has to tap the fan base and maximize all revenue sources/streams to get the $$$ to do what needs to be done improve cricket in Pakistan.
Click to expand...

Bewal Express said:
As a live spectator Sport, test Cricket brings in small numbers in PK because the cricket on slow low wickets isn't entertaining enough for most people. Other factors such as poor spectator facilities also don't encourage people to come to grounds
Click to expand...

Cant remember test match being well attended in Pakistan in last 2 decades - There is no point having a huge fan base if they are unwilling to pay and watch the sport. Even people don't bother to watch as much test cricket on TVs.

I think people also need to stop this myth that Pakistan cricket fans are crazy about sport etc - Actually all other Asian sides have more crazy and on average are willing to pay more to watch their teams.
 
Pakhs said:
Cant remember test match being well attended in Pakistan in last 2 decades - There is no point having a huge fan base if they are unwilling to pay and watch the sport. Even people don't bother to watch as much test cricket on TVs.

I think people also need to stop this myth that Pakistan cricket fans are crazy about sport etc - Actually all other Asian sides have more crazy and on average are willing to pay more to watch their teams.
Click to expand...

Exactly. There is no point is saying test the best format. Actions speak louder than words. Unless fans support with ticket $$ and eye balls on TV, this format is going to die. Or is already on it's way.
 
Pakhs said:
Kholi said what he said as he either felt the need to say it or was told by the BCCI to say it as the number of people attending test cricket in India were getting lower and lower.
Click to expand...

I doubt it. Plenty of cricketers from all countries say that. Whether they mean it or whether they just say it cause it's the tradition is another story.
 
viveks said:
I doubt it. Plenty of cricketers from all countries say that. Whether they mean it or whether they just say it cause it's the tradition is another story.
Click to expand...

Kholi all of a sudden started saying it when he never mentioned anything like this all his career. It was very obvious someone either told him to say it or he himself thought he needed to defend this format of the game.
 
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