Virat Kohli Bats for Test Cricket, Says Commercial Aspect of the Sport Taking Over Real Quality

[Clarke]

Quote

Indian skipper Virat Kohli has urged the national cricket boards to take more responsibility in saving Test cricket and said that he cannot think of any other format at the moment, hinting at that England Cricket Board's new 100-ball format really doesn't appeal to him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Obviously for the people involved in the whole process and the set-up it will be really exciting but I cannot think of one more format, to be honest,” said Kohli in an interview to Wisden Cricket Monthly.

 

 

“I’m already very… I wouldn’t say frustrated, but sometimes it can get very demanding of you when you have to play so much cricket regularly. I feel somewhere the commercial aspect is taking over the real quality of cricket and that hurts me. Honestly, I don’t want to be a testing sort of a cricketer for any new format. I don’t want to be someone who’s going to be part of that World XI who comes and launches the 100-ball format. I love playing the IPL, I love watching the BBL, because you’re working towards something, competing against high-quality sides and it gets your competitive juices flowing. That’s what you want as a cricketer. I’m all for the leagues, but not to experiment,” the Indian skipper added.

Giving a sound warning to cricket boards around the globe, Kohli said that first-class cricket needs to be given its due importance to ensure players are still motivated for Test cricket.

"If you’re not going to give more importance to first-class cricket, then people are going to lose motivation to play the longest format of the game, and with the T20 format coming in I think there’s far greater responsibility on all the cricket boards across the world to treat first-class cricket really well, because if the facilities and the standard goes up, then the motivation always stays. You don’t want players to get into that mindset where they’re finding the easy way out,” he said.

Kohli also added that Test cricket remains the ultimate format for him and it gives the ultimate 'job satisfaction'.

“I think that if you really understand the sport, if you really love the sport, you understand Test cricket and you understand how exciting it is,” Kohli added. “I cannot explain to you the job satisfaction that you get when you do well in Test cricket, because you know how demanding it is. It’s the most beautiful format of the game. I don’t think it’s going to go anywhere. I don’t even see it getting compressed to four days. It should not be tinkered with."

“I think the Test Championship is going to give a huge push to Test cricket. It makes every series more competitive, and there’s going to be ups and downs throughout the Championship, which I really look forward to.”

 

https://www.news18.com/cricketnext/news/virat-kohli-bats-for-test-cricket-says-commercial-aspect-of-the-sport-taking-over-real-quality-1860009.html

 

I like the words; but is King Kohli ready to skip IPL for tests/World Cup ? 

 

 

Edited August 30, 2018 by Clarke

[Khota]

Virat - Welcome to free market. People do not have time to watch 5 days worth of crapfest. You are getting paid to do it but the market forces are moving towards T 20.

[velu]

doing lip service to test cricket .. even fringe cricketers are financially stable to some extent because of T20

 

anyway 100 ball game sounds ridiculous

[zen]

Once folks realize that test cricket is to be followed session by session and not ball by ball usually, they will enjoy it more 

 

It is like watching a 13 episode series with its twists and turns and multiple storylines vs watching a 2 hour movie

Edited August 30, 2018 by zen

[express bowling]

It is great to see test cricket being promoted by one of the biggest stars in cricket now.     

Edited August 30, 2018 by express bowling

[Vilander]

9 hours ago, Khota said:

Virat - Welcome to free market. People do not have time to watch 5 days worth of crapfest. You are getting paid to do it but the market forces are moving towards T 20.

 

5 hours ago, velu said:

doing lip service to test cricket .. even fringe cricketers are financially stable to some extent because of T20

 

anyway 100 ball game sounds ridiculous

he said he like IPL and BBL..

 

He does not want some new format and a 100 ball championship. Says keep it to t20 leagues, JAMODI and Tests.

[UrmiSinhaRay]

WTF.
Virat is the king of commercialisation.
He is probably being paid by Test cricket supporters and/or is worried that he'll not do Great in the new format.

Sent from my CPH1609 using Tapatalk

[MechEng]

He will change his rang like girgit before IPL.

[Khota]

5 hours ago, express bowling said:

It is great to see test cricket being promoted by one of the biggest stars in cricket now.     

If it is so great why does it need promotion?

[gattaca]

Lol why doesn’t he stop playing IPL. He is today what he is because IPL financially, skill wise and fitness wise.

[express bowling]

7 hours ago, Khota said:

If it is so great why does it need promotion?

 

Everything needs promotion in this day and age. 

 

 

[express bowling]

7 hours ago, gattaca said:

Lol why doesn’t he stop playing IPL. He is today what he is because IPL financially, skill wise and fitness wise.

 

I don't see any clash between test cricket and the IPL.

 

Most top players should strive to play both ... as both are very important.

 

Test cricket and FC cricket are important for creating cricketers of high quality. ( The Paul Valthatys of the world don't survive for long or pull crowds )   IPL is important for its financial aspect, fun and sheer magnanimity.

 

If both test cricket and the IPL  can survive side by side ... the game of cricket will benefit the most.

 

Neither should one eat ice creams whole day ... nor can one eat vegetables and pulses all the time.

Edited August 31, 2018 by express bowling

[Khota]

3 hours ago, express bowling said:

 

Everything needs promotion in this day and age. 

 

 

Some more than others. 

Seems like one is Betamax and other is VHS. But it is Betamax with deep pockets.