CLOSE-IN: Finally, it is horses for courses in World Cricket (IANS Column)

The phrase “horses for courses” is synonymous with the way Test cricket is progressing around the world. The garnering of points for the World Test Championship has added extra spice to the contents. Countries are gradually realizing the importance of point accumulation and of winning at home.

Gautam Gambhir, head coach of the Indian men’s team, made a relevant statement recently. A draw will give a side four points, whereas, a win 12 points. Therefore, ensuring a result has become essential for a team to succeed in qualification into the final. This, unfortunately, will lead to the doctrine of pitches to suit the home side, one that has been the bone of contention in the past.

In the present ongoing series, Pakistan as well as India in the 2nd Test match have realized that the old traditional saying of “spin is king” is true and that spin is their forte. A turning track bare of any grass is on offer at both the Asian venues and England and New Zealand respectively, and will need to adapt to these conditions to be successful.

India, in the 1st Test match versus New Zealand in Bangalore, were stunned at how incompetent they were while playing the swinging ball. Winning the toss and batting first turned out to be a horrendous decision. The Indian batters looked dazed and totally at sea and succumbed to a total of 46 runs in their first innings. A similar trend resulted when New Zealand took the second new ball in the second innings and both Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan, with runs under their belt, looked well out of sorts even then.

India in the past have been victim to such performances, especially, when conditions assist swing bowling. However, with a battery of experienced batters and superstars in their midst, one felt the past was buried for good. The reality of this miserable performance was a wake-up call that had the Indian think tank run towards ensuring that helpful swing conditions were kept at bay.

Manipulating the playing conditions will be the order of the day in every country and venue, henceforth. A series win has no relevance as points from each match played have become far more important.

This takes one back to the old Indian domestic Ranji Trophy point system played in a three-day encounter. An outright victory was essential to get the maximum points and so conditions were doctored to do so. A placid wicket was offered by the home team if they were required not to lose.

The present point system in the ICC World Championship is heading in that direction. This definitely needs to be looked at very thoroughly. The only redeeming factor that has arisen from the ICC Cricket Committee’s recent meeting is to ensure that a three-match series is played in order to consider it for the World Test Championship next year.

One cannot blame the present cricketers for not being mentally and technically equipped to play Test cricket in conditions alien to them. The popular limited overs versions are the bread and butter of a modern cricketer. Patience is passe and the run-rate equation has become more significant and important to a batsman.

One does not want to be equated as a slow plodder. Being established as one could result in a player not getting a lucrative T20 franchise offer. The art of defensive tactics is in the present cricketing world a thing of the past. The famous saying “prevail or perish” is more significant than “retreat to recover”.

The wonderful fallout of the World Test Championship is that Test cricket has once again come into prominence. Gradually, the newfound fans and followers, brought about through the limited-overs format are realizing the inner depth and seriousness of it.

One is happy to see the positive attitude of teams going full tilt to get a result, however, creating conditions that make Test cricket into a farce must be seriously controlled. After all, it is a 5-day encounter and having matches finish in four days or less at most venues being the trend in recent times will just not augur well for the ethos of Test cricket.

Let us hope the ICC reworks the point system or controls the playing conditions to make the Championship more of an even contest in the future.

(Yajurvindra Singh is a former India cricketer. The views expressed are personal)

Source: IANS