Australia vs India 2018-19: Virat Kohli's Attitude to Test Format Crucial for World Cricket - Greg Chappell

Former Australia skipper Greg Chappell believes Virat Kohli’s positive attitude to Test format is imperative for the World Cricket. Kohli has put his weight behind the red ball format and has time and again praised the real form of the game. The Indian skipper has focussed his energy on the multi-day format and has always said he wants to excel in the longest format.

In fact, Test cricket is the real TEST of a player and it is crucial that the pristine form of the game has a safe future. The game has changed over the years and it is the responsibility of administrators, Cricket boards and players to back the oldest format.

Test Cricket is Real Cricket.

Subsequently, been the best batsman in the world, Virat Kohli has done his part to support the red ball version. Thus, he is an inspiration for all the kids growing up with the dream to embrace the beautiful game.

“Virat Kohli is one of the best T20 players in the world, he’s also one of the best 50-over players in the world and he is one of the best Test players in the world. He didn’t start with 20-over cricket. Ab de Villiers is another, he had an established game that he took into 20-over cricket,” Greg Chappell said while talking to Cricket Next.

Virat Kohli journey has been an inspiration. Kohli has worked hard on his fitness and has reaped fruits for the same. There is hardly any chunk in his armour and it is crucial that the big players like him back the five-day format.

Kohli is doing a fine job.

“I think cricket without Test cricket will be less of a game. Kohli says it well: this is the most testing format and I want to be good at this and recognised at this. His attitude is not only important to him and to Indian cricket, it’s important to world cricket. He values Test cricket and the effect that this has back into India must be enormous”.

“And I think it’s huge for the game. Because, if we give up on Test cricket, the game will be poorer for it. This is cricket. The others are forms of the game, but Test cricket challenges players in terms of skills, mentally, emotionally, endurance, psychologically, all of those aspects that other formats don’t call upon. The game has to value Test cricket if we want it to survive”.

Test cricket is one of the endangered species of the game. We have seen less crowd after the emergence of T20 and Franchise cricket. Hence, it is pivotal to preserve the sagacious form of the game for the betterment of the sport.