Very well written article by Abhinav Mukund on the value (or lack thereof) of FC cricket in test selection

[BacktoCricaddict]

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/has-first-class-cricket-become-irrelevant-in-india-1469864

 

He makes many great points.

 

One excerpt 

 

 

Amid all the talk of India's marquee players being asked to play domestic cricket, it's business as usual for a few.

 

Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sarfaraz Khan, in particular, will be itching for some game time. The only image of note that I saw of Easwaran in the entire series in Australia was when he ran on to congratulate Nitish Reddy after his hundred at the MCG. For Sarfaraz, it was when he was keeping in the tour game and appealed for a double touch. Otherwise these two players didn't warrant a mention, and largely didn't even when teams were discussed on social media.

 

Sarfaraz made a fighting hundred in the second innings in Bengaluru after India were shot out for 46 by New Zealand. Four Test innings later, he finds himself low in the pecking order for a slot in the middle order. Dhruv Jurel, Devdutt Padikkal and others were preferred ahead of him on the tour. Sarfaraz has averaged over 75 in first-class cricket in the last five years, with 15 hundreds and 11 fifties in 41 matches.

 

 

[diga]

In the age of T20, where tests don't last 5 days, does a team require 80 off 200 balls or a quickfire 40 off 60 balls? Bowling/ result oriented pitches have further deteriorated both bowling and batsmenship...

[Vk1]

2 hours ago, BacktoCricaddict said:

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/has-first-class-cricket-become-irrelevant-in-india-1469864

 

He makes many great points.

 

One excerpt 

 

 

Amid all the talk of India's marquee players being asked to play domestic cricket, it's business as usual for a few.

 

Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sarfaraz Khan, in particular, will be itching for some game time. The only image of note that I saw of Easwaran in the entire series in Australia was when he ran on to congratulate Nitish Reddy after his hundred at the MCG. For Sarfaraz, it was when he was keeping in the tour game and appealed for a double touch. Otherwise these two players didn't warrant a mention, and largely didn't even when teams were discussed on social media.

 

Sarfaraz made a fighting hundred in the second innings in Bengaluru after India were shot out for 46 by New Zealand. Four Test innings later, he finds himself low in the pecking order for a slot in the middle order. Dhruv Jurel, Devdutt Padikkal and others were preferred ahead of him on the tour. Sarfaraz has averaged over 75 in first-class cricket in the last five years, with 15 hundreds and 11 fifties in 41 matches.

 

 

He wrote it very well in a balanced way covering all view points.

[figo6762]

Wonder how PRinfo published this .. very sound take ::

[LordPrabhzy]

exactly my views- when IPL is used as Test format selections you know its basically being driven by IPL franchise lobby and corporate pressure on BCCI- at this point just disband the Ranji trophy and only play white ball domestics, expand the IPL etc. BCCI needs to stop this charade of caring about Tests when thei whole cricket circle has realised the zero value in Ranji- the Test cap now has no value if yoy don't have a IPL contract

[Muloghonto]

This is the problem with cricket in India compared to say cricket in Australia.

We do not create a multi-layered sporting system where merit is the main driver for a sport, eff everything else in the overwhelming majority of cases. True, no sport is free of favouritism towards the Messis, Federers, Djokovich,  Schumachers of the game but except for the living legends of the game, pro sports in the west, which includes australia, is ruthlessly meritocratic.
I mean, how can it not be, given that sports is the easiest arena to  gauge merit ??

 

Yes, there can be exceptions to the rule like living legends such as Bumrah or Tendulkar or a young Wasim, but by and large, the system has gotta be meroticratic to function : score runs/take wickets = get to the higher level for same format.

This is how australia keeps churning out good players as routine, with great players showing up once a decade, while we flat out struggle to produce good players in more than fits and spurts and while great players show up just as frequently, they have stopped leaving or being kicked out when they are deadweight to the team.

 

A player like Sarfraz, straight up deserves at least 10 straight tests before a drop, unless he goes like 10 straight innings without a 50. because his FC record makes it so.

You literally cannot produce a test quality team long term day in, day out that is competing for being the best, if you do not offer straight up spot to the Bradman of the FC circuit his fair shot.

I mean, sure, if you are the India of early 2000s with packed middle order with only weak link in middle order also being the great captain of his day (dada) thus locking out the middle or the Aussie middle of the same period, but that is almost never the case in reality for a team.

 

I really wish the media and fans made more of a hubdub about Sarfaraz, coz really, what the foc are we doing being Test kirkut fans, if we cant have the bradman of FC kirkut play in the test team for atleast a year straight ?!?

I mean sure, he may turn out to be our Graeme Hick - bradman of county and fattu of Tests, but HE DESERVES SHOT !!!!!!!! at least 10-15 matches !!!

If we cannot show this commitment to the long format eco-system and structure for long format game, then there is no point in pretending we intend to be more than the west indies of the long format game : go in there for shits and giggles and just focus on winning IPL + ODIs.

 

[jf1gp_1]

Does anyone remember how Aakash Chopra sounded when he started on his article writing and commentary journey ? it was refreshing. Today he sounds like any other sellout. Lets see if Mukund ji 's view remain the same after he gets a star/jio contract.