Tendulkar proposes using two different pitches for every Ranji Trophy game

[Kool_SRG]

 

Sachin Tendulkar, the Indian batting legend, left behind a trail of magnificent performances over a career spanning close to 24 years. The 43-year-old, who made his Test debut as a teenager in the Karachi Test against Pakistan in November 1989, holds an ensemble of batting records, including most career runs in both One-Day Internationals and Tests and he is also the only cricketer to notch 100 international centuries.

The batting maestro shared his views on a range of subjects related to cricket at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, held on Saturday (December 3).

One of the key points that he touched upon during the summit was to suggest that a Ranji Trophy game could be played on two separate pitches in order to bridge the gap between domestic cricket and international cricket. He pointed out that by embracing the radical change, young cricketers could learn to adjust to different climes outside Asia. Incidentally, in an attempt to reinvent Ranji Trophy, matches have been played at neutral venues this year.

"I have thought a lot about neutral venues in Ranji Trophy (which is being experimented this season). I have a suggestion which can be radical. When we go to places like Australia, New Zealand, West Indies and South Africa, we play with Kookaburra balls which swings early. Think about a young Ranji batsman playing with SG Test in India and then facing difficulty overseas," Tendulkar said.

Tendulkar expanded his view by stating that the first innings could be played on a green top, with the second innings played on a track, assisting the spinners. He observed that it would help both bowlers and batsmen to become well-rounded cricketers. Incidentally, Anurag Thakur, the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) president, was among the audience at the summit.

"Let us have the first innings on a green top with Kookaburra balls which would give openers a challenge. Even bowlers will have something. Our spinners will also learn how to bowl with Kookaburra on Green tops," Tendulkar explained.

"Now let there be a pitch adjacent to the green top which would be a rank turner. Now the second innings will be played on that track with the SG Test ball which would also help our batsmen play against quality spin bowling. We have been too focussed on playing pace in overseas conditions but we should not forget how to play spin bowling.

"Don't forget even overseas teams are losing to us in India. May be they would start using SG in their domestic matches."

According to Tendulkar, by preparing two different tracks, it would also negate the toss factor. "A captain would start thinking that winning the toss will give him only 10 percent advantage that is his right to choose first. But if he chooses to bowl on green top he should remember that he would need to bat on a Turner in the fourth innings."

With the razzmatazz of Twenty20 (T20) cricket appealing to the new generation of cricket fans, Test cricket has been battling with dwindling crowds. Swathes of empty seats at a Test match has become a common sight in recent times. Even at a traditional Test centre like the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), only 53,389 witnessed the first day's play of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and West Indies last year.

Tendulkar lamented the lack of rivalry in Test cricket and reckoned that it has played a part in cricket fans losing interest in the traditional format. He turned back the pages of time and pointed out that rivalries like Sunil Gavaskar versus Imran Khan or Steve Waugh versus Curtly Ambrose generated interested among the fans.

"When we grew up we had rivalries like Sunil Gavaskar vs Imran Khan, Viv Richards vs Jeff Thomson and then (Brian) Lara vs Glenn McGrath or Steve Waugh vs Curtly Ambrose. West Indies team in '80s and '90s generated interest. The target then was to beat the West Indies. Australia was an incredible team. Nine world class (players) and if 3-4 could close the game. That is missing," he lamented.

Tendulkar also suggested that by having back-to-back Tests between two sides home and away could help the longest format to become competitive. "Look we went to England in 2014 and lost the series. Now England are down in this series and since 2014, they have lost a couple of players.

"My suggestion is to have back to back matches against the same side home and away. Let us play two Tests in India and then two Tests in England. Same set of players but different venues. Obviously there will be some changes in terms of form and injuries but core will be same. That will be a fair contest."

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