On the verge of being considered a format that could soon be a bygone, Test cricket has witnessed a new revolution in the recent times. The Indian team, in particular, has given more than plenty to the fans, to enjoy the longest and purest format of the game. Be it the historic Australia series, or the heart warming victories at Lord’s and Oval not too long ago, Test cricket has been a source of joy, thrill, pride and a complete bag of emotions in itself. With Test cricket coming back to life the way it has, it is important to recognise the contribution of two men who have always been great ambassadors of the game, especially Test cricket.
As former Australian skipper Mark Taylor rightly points out, Indian captain Virat Kohli, along with head coach Ravi Shastri have promoted and supported Test Cricket like none other. Virat Kohli, being an icon and idol to throusands of young and present cricketers as well, had made quite a statement with his passion and hunger to don the whites.
“(India coach) Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli (have) been great supporters and promoters of Test cricket in recent times. I think Virat has been excellent in that regard, really wanting to play Test cricket, prioritising the game,” Taylor said to Wide World of Sports, as reported by IANS.
However, Mark Taylor also put forth his concerns reagrding Test cricket as to where it could stand in the times to come. “But the worry will be how long it continues for. There’s no doubt as we all get older, and the new generations come through, this love that people like I have for Test cricket may diminish, and that’s the concern for us older generation, ” he said.
The fifth Test between England and India being called off gave rise to various coversations, speculations, and even criticism on the Indian team for having pulled out. Mainly, it is being speculated that the reason for this action could be the very little time frame between the fifth Test and the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, that is set to resume in a few days. Giving out his opinion on the issue, Taylor hoped that the IPL was not prioritised over the Manchester Test.
“I don’t think anyone would hold any sort of grudge against the players not wanting to play a game when they’ve got genuine concerns about COVID infection. I think now we want to see some consistency. Pulling out of a Test match is huge for the game of cricket, particularly an India series, it’s a big series,” Taylor stated.
The ex-Australian captain did emphasise on the importance on health and players undertandably taking a stand for the same. However, he said that keeping in mind the health of the game also becomes crucial with players wanting to participate in T20 games or other domestic series. Taylor hopes that similar action is taken if any such circumstance takes birth during the IPL, with the need for a consistent message to be put out by players going forward.
