Anil Kumble Backs Virat Kohli Idea To Market Test Cricket Better

Published - 26 Oct 2019, 12:40 AM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:01 AM

Anil Kumble. (Credits: Getty Images)

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Recently, after the conclusion of the final Test at Ranchi, the Indian Skipper Virat Kohli suggested BCCI restrict Test cricket to a maximum of five centres in order to help Test cricket better. Now, the former head coach Anil Kumble backs the idea of the skipper, as he felt that would help Test cricket to survive better in India.

You can market Test cricket better – Anil Kumble

Following an emphatic victory, Virat Kohli quoted that India should stick to having five traditional Test centres, while the rotation of venues can take place for ODIs and T20s. Speaking of the same, Anil Kumble feels it is the right thing to do going forward.

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“I think that has certainly been one of the ways of promoting Test cricket,” Kumble said. “By restricting it to a few centres and not just that it is also important to choose the time of the Test match. We all remember that in the festival time, during the festival of Pongal, the Test match used to happen in Chennai. And the start of the season used to be in Delhi, Bangalore would have a Test match, Mumbai would have a Test match, Kolkata of course.”

Anil Kumble, Virat Kohli — India vs South Africa 3rd Test Ranchi. (Photo: BCCI)

“I think it is important for Test cricket to promote these centres where people would know that these are the centres where you are going to play Test match cricket in prior to the start of the season so that you can market Test cricket and you can make sure that the crowd come in. When I was the coach, I think we played in six different centres, they were all new centres and the one centre it was packed was Indore. And the atmosphere was brilliant, it is in the heart of the city that was one of the reasons that the crowd could come in irrespective of the time of the day.”

Facilities to the spectators must be better:

Further, he explained that better marketing of the game and the better facilities for the spectators will do the trick. The legendary spinner added that the management should offer better food, seating structure and the neat washrooms in order to make it a comfortable visit for the spectators.

Anil Kumble, Ravindra Jadeja, ICC World Cup 2019 — Anil Kumble (Credits – Getty)

“What we need to also do is to create better facilities for the spectators to come and view the game. You know, they need to have comfortable seats, the access to the stadium, ticketing, I think the use of technology is something that we need to look at when it comes to issuing tickets and then, of course, the basic comfort like food and water and then the toilet facilities. I think if we can provide all of that, make the spectator really comfortable then I think you will see a lot of people coming in to watch Test match cricket.”