Dilip Vengsarkar pushes for 4-day Tests after India's embarrassing 0-3 sweep against New Zealand
Published - 05 Nov 2024, 05:49 PM | Updated - 05 Nov 2024, 05:50 PM
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Former Indian cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar has openly backed the idea of reducing Test matches to four days, as the extended five-day format no longer serves the game as effectively as it once did.
Since the majority of Test matches end well before the fifth day, Vengsarkar advocated for the four-day Test matches to avoid the unnecessary financial burden on the smaller cricket boards.
Vengsarkar highlighted the growing concerns over the financial pressures faced by smaller cricket boards outside the wealthier "Big Three" nations—India, England, and Australia.
Dilip Vengsarkar suggests four-day Tests to support struggling cricket boards
He said that the financially strained cricket boards consistently face significant expenses for five-day Test matches that often conclude within three to four days.
The former Indian chief selector further mentioned that for smaller boards, each additional day of a Test series not only strains their finances but also adds significant logistical and operational costs.
By trimming tests down to four days, Dilip Vengsarkar feels boards could save a considerable amount, freeing up resources to invest in other areas of development within the sport.
Earlier, former cricketers like Michael Vaughan of England and Shane Warne, the late Australian spin wizard, have long argued that four-day Tests could bring fresh energy to the red-ball game, streamline scheduling, and keep the format relevant in an era dominated by T20 cricket.
On the other hand, India’s Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar have voiced against any change, saying that the traditional five-day structure is crucial to maintaining the spirit and essence of Test cricket.
It is financially draining: Dilip Vengsarkar on five-day Test matches
However, beyond finances, Dilip Vengsarkar also raised ethical concerns over ticketing, pointing out the growing discontent among fans, who pay for five-day tickets only to see matches wrap up in three.
For fans, a four-day Test cricket match could mean a more intense, competitive spectacle, and then they will not have to face the disappointment of early finishes. This issue is particularly in Test-playing nations like the West Indies, where financial limitations and shorter matches make Tests less exciting.
Dilip Vengsarkar told The Times of India: “Tests should be reduced to four-day games because most of the matches are getting over in under four days. Also, most of the affiliated boards of the International Cricket Council (ICC), apart from India, Australia, and England, are not in good financial condition, so four-day Tests could save them some expenses. It is financially draining and too expensive for a team like West Indies to travel for Test matches to the rest of the world.”
Test cricket should continue to be played over five days: MCC
In 2020, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) acknowledged the potential benefits of playing four-day Tests but ultimately upheld the five-day standard, citing it as vital to Test cricket’s tradition.
The MCC said in a statement: "The Cricket Committee and MCC World Cricket Committee have recently discussed the issue, and although they can see some benefits that four-day Test cricket could bring, both committees believe that Test cricket should continue to be played over five days.”
