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Aravinda de Silva, the legend of Sri Lankan cricket, still believes that Test cricket has a bright future ahead, despite the increasing popularity of T20 cricket. The World Cup-winning former skipper says that the longest format of the game will be able to attract attention if the biggest rivalries of the cricketing world are repackaged appealingly.
Amid the political differences, India vs Pakistan remains one of the most celebrated rivalries in the cricketing world. In the recent past, whenever these two nations faced each other across tournaments, even in the ongoing Women’s T20 World Cup, it attracted a lot of attention.
Proposal to host an India vs Pakistan Test match
Due to the geopolitical tensions, the India vs Pakistan match was arranged in a neutral venue, but there has not been any bilateral series. Aravinda de Silva states that an India vs Pakistan Test match, even at a neutral venue, will be a blockbuster event.
The India vs Pakistan match was last played in December 2007 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Since then, they have met only in white-ball games, especially for T20Is. The last India vs Pakistan ODI series was hosted in 2013.
“If India and Pakistan play a Test series today (even at a neutral venue), there will be enormous interest. It is how you create that battle,” De Silva told Sportstar.
The 60-year-old, who played a match-defining unbeaten 107-run innings against the mighty Australia in the final of the 1996 ODI World Cup, witnessed a lot of changes in the game over the years, but believes the basics of cricket remain the same despite the evolving landscape, which is influenced by finance and technology.
There is no denying that behind the improvement of financial and technological development, franchise cricket and the Twenty20 format have been playing a massive role.
Suggestions for Sri Lanka Cricket from the legend
Silva emphasizes that Sri Lanka has been producing constant world-class talents and came close to winning their second World Cup title multiple times in the past, but somehow, they did not manage to take the final step correctly. The former cricketer suggests that Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) prepare their talents according to modern-era cricket, aligning with modern-day requirements.
“We have continued to do well since 1996. Unfortunately, we haven’t won another 50-over World Cup, even though we came close in 2007 and 2011. But talent-wise, I still don’t see any issue. The players and administrators have to look at how the game is changing and align with modern-day requirements,” he said
Money has a great influence on modern-day cricket
He, who prescribes Test cricket in a better package, also reckoned that money is playing a vital role in shaping modern-day cricket. The national cricket boards that have rich financial back-ups have better technology, facilities for their players, scouting, and all of the other departments that are directly involved in grooming talent from the grassroots level.
“Most countries that are financially strong have been able to dominate the sport,” he further mentioned in the same video.
