BCCI killing Test cricket: Oz media

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Melbourne, Dec. 7: In a scathing attack on the Indian cricket board, a section of the Australian media on Monday said the financially strong Board of Control for Cricket in India was doing very little to promote Test cricket even as their team had taken the top spot in the traditional format. "India rule Test arena while trying to kill it," a Sydney Morning Herald header screamed. "It is incredible that India, long seen as promoting the death of Test cricket by driving the proliferation of Twenty20 matches, has reached the sport’s pinnacle." India played only six Test matches this year, an away series against New Zealand in March followed by the just concluded three-Test series against Sri Lanka after a gap of seven months. The scene is worse next year. India will tour Bangladesh for two Tests in January, and after playing countless ODIs and Twenty20s, will meet New Zealand in November for three Tests. "In a bizarre twist, India’s ascension to the number one spot coincides with a period where the team will largely be inactive in the Test arena for the next two years," said Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The Herald said: "A scheduled three-Test series against world No. 2 South Africa has been cancelled, denying all cricket supporters of a major series that would have had significant impact on the rankings. Instead, the Proteas will play five ODIs." It also means that Indian fans will have to wait for a longer period to see their side play a Test series at home. "The outrageous absence of home Tests for such a length of time underscores the problems faced by the traditional format. "They won’t admit it, but the fixtures are determined purely by television revenue. Indian broadcast moguls are not interested in Tests because they rate poorly while ODIs and Twenty20s push their numbers through the roof." "There is increasing pressure from the BCCI — which sells matches for a handsome profit to television networks — to scrap Tests for ODIs and T20s. The ICC has not stood up to India for years and clearly isn’t about to start by the looks of the FTP, which has been manipulated from its original plan to accommodate the BCCI’s thirst for short-format games." — IANS * More...

[TheWall]

The way Aussies r batting today - who's killing the test match?

[DomainK]

Yes, we are no1, you are no more. And we are kicking your backside in the next Border-Gavaskar trophy.

[Mr. Wicket]

That desperate to take shots at the Aussies that the BCCI's scheduling nonsense can get a blind eye and no criticism? They have a very fair point here.

[Rajiv]

Oh good, I was hoping someone could come up with BCCI ruining Copenhagen Climate Change meet

[Laaloo]

I hope other medias also lash on and take some cheapshots against BCCI.

[DomainK]

It's becoming a fashion to bash BCCI all the time. Whenever someone is upset for something, he bashes BCCI.

[S.Bond]

Yes, we are no1, you are no more. And we are kicking your backside in the next Border-Gavaskar trophy.[/QUO you should try to make sense on some occasions at least.... What they said is very true... Even indian players like tendulkar are complaining for the same reasons... That means tha darvid and laxman (36 yearsold) will have t wait till november to play test cricket again... that is really nonsense from BCCI....

[varun]

That desperate to take shots at the Aussies that the BCCI's scheduling nonsense can get a blind eye and no criticism? They have a very fair point here.

Agreed.. I was so looking forward to a Test series with the Saffies. BCCI doesn't realize that Tests are fun too ! Waking up early in the morning to see Sehwag batting at the MCG on the boxing day test.. I wonder if I'll ever see that sight again :(( Stupid BCCI :mad:

[champ]

bcci is a very clever board .. they have realised the potential of fans outburst in the past.. they will be surely taking note of ppls anguish and media taking a dig too of not having req number of tests next year .. i expect some tests being arranged very soon .. bcci is master in these things .. watch out ..

[DomainK]

bcci is a very clever board .. they have realised the potential of fans outburst in the past.. they will be surely taking note of ppls anguish and media taking a dig too of not having req number of tests next year .. i expect some tests being arranged very soon .. bcci is master in these things .. watch out ..

True. One major factor in business is keeping the market happy. If I see it right, BCCI treats cricket as a product to sell and they will take care of the product's lifeline. I understand others getting furious with BCCI's money minded ways, but don't forget that that was the only way for Indian representatives in any international market. Otherwise we would have been what we were in the 70s.

[Indianfan_Hyd]

I hoped Aussie media will come up with this. Kudos to them.... Ppl here supporting BCCI have very thin argument.

[DomainK]

Also, many of us do not realize the importance of IPL from many angles. We need to once forget about world cricket and look at our own position and our own growth. Money is the one language the world understands. I prefer to be ruling and be thought as a villain than linger at the bottom acting like a saint. All those from world cricket who think BCCI is killing cricket are still queuing up to benefit from IPL. In the beginning when T20 cricket started, BCCI was against it because they thought that it's not a serious form of cricket. In fact, In I remember right, BCCI was the only board to vote against the T20 WC. At that time the cricket community criticized BCCI saying that it was blocking the growth of the game by resisting the natural changes. The same theory of save cricket from India had surfaced then. At that time India had not played a single T20 match. Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa were the main participants in this format. Then the T20 WC happened, India entered the competition with zero experience in the format and ended up winning it. Then IPL surfaced and the same critics immediately changed their tone now claiming that BCCI is killing traditional cricket by promoting T20. The same teams who were busy promoting T20 earlier now have become the savior of test Cricket.

[champ]

Also, many of us do not realize the importance of IPL from many angles. We need to once forget about world cricket and look at our own position and our own growth. Money is the one language the world understands. I prefer to be ruling and be thought as a villain than linger at the bottom acting like a saint. All those from world cricket who think BCCI is killing cricket are still queuing up to benefit from IPL. In the beginning when T20 cricket started, BCCI was against it because they thought that it's not a serious form of cricket. In fact, In I remember right, BCCI was the only board to vote against the T20 WC. At that time the cricket community criticized BCCI saying that it was blocking the growth of the game by resisting the natural changes. The same theory of save cricket from India had surfaced then. At that time India had not played a single T20 match. Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa were the main participants in this format. Then the T20 WC happened, India entered the competition with zero experience in the format and ended up winning it. Then IPL surfaced and the same critics immediately changed their tone now claiming that BCCI is killing traditional cricket by promoting T20. The same teams who were busy promoting T20 earlier now have become the savior of test Cricket.

u hit the nail on the head .. these critics are changing colors every season ..

[Fontaine]

Also, many of us do not realize the importance of IPL from many angles. We need to once forget about world cricket and look at our own position and our own growth. Money is the one language the world understands. I prefer to be ruling and be thought as a villain than linger at the bottom acting like a saint. All those from world cricket who think BCCI is killing cricket are still queuing up to benefit from IPL. In the beginning when T20 cricket started, BCCI was against it because they thought that it's not a serious form of cricket. In fact, In I remember right, BCCI was the only board to vote against the T20 WC. At that time the cricket community criticized BCCI saying that it was blocking the growth of the game by resisting the natural changes. The same theory of save cricket from India had surfaced then. At that time India had not played a single T20 match. Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa were the main participants in this format. Then the T20 WC happened, India entered the competition with zero experience in the format and ended up winning it. Then IPL surfaced and the same critics immediately changed their tone now claiming that BCCI is killing traditional cricket by promoting T20. The same teams who were busy promoting T20 earlier now have become the savior of test Cricket.

I tihnk you're over simplifying the issues here. No one is against T20 or test cricket if they're truely cricket fans. What I'm against is the exploitation, and over saturation of one form of cricket over another purely for the sake of MONEY. T20s, ODIs, and Tests should not interfere with one another as has been the case for the majority of cricket's history. Just like in Soccer, domestic leagues, international competitions like the World Cup AND friendlies DON'T interfere with one another (mostly). The IPL however, by design is created to disrupt other forms of cricket because the BCCI has done everything in it's power to ensure that no other major series are taking place at the same time, while sucking up all the best international talent out there. Look at this way, Domestic cricket competitions in all countries (like Ranji Trophy) continue at the same time as international fixtures and those test/ODI players play for their countries, NOT their respective Ranji Teams. However, the BCCI/Modi designed and forced the IPL onto the world to be the exact opposite. The IPL is the ONLY domestic cricket league in the world that actually does it's best to prevent other internataional cricket to be played whether it be with ludicrously high player contracts to BCCI's power broking over the international scheduling to allow it an almost free open window where no other international cricket should interfere with it, or at least it tries to. Why should the IPL be afforded this kind of power then? The BCCI aren't alone in this but they bear the biggest responsbility. We have, right now, argueably the best test team ever assembled in India and they get to play a measely total of 5 tests next year while cricketers who've done more for Indian Cricket than the BCCI, like Dravid, Laxman, SRT etc waste the precious few months they have left on the international circuit. Just one test series watching these soon to be retired legendary cricketers take on the might of South Africa is worth far more than any and all IPL matches ever played or ever will be played. What would you rather say in 20-30 years time? "I got to watch SRT/Dravid/Laxman bat for the last time together and take on the great South Africans" OR "I got to watch dozens of IPL T20 matches where almost every other batsmen beat the tar out of the cricket ball." But yet, here we are. No test series against SA. That decision is already made for us. And THAT my friends is the point. IT'S NOT whether IPL is better/more popular than tests. IT'S that we've had a choice in the past between domestic/international cricket on what to watch. Thanks to (largely) the BCCI/Modi/IPL we DON'T have that choice now while the IPL season is on. That's what disgusts me. Instead we're "treated" to watching them put on a freak show, where individual class and talent are a distant second to pure slogging power in the IPL. Where we get to hear retarded and truely ignorant ADHD suffering idiots complain that Laxman, or Dravid, or SRT don't score quickly enough in IPL matches. If the BCCI was TRUELY insterested in promoting Indian Cricket they would be doing everything in their power to support domestic Indian cricket instead of a money making spin off like the IPL at the cost of other formats. In domestic cricket kookaburra balls are in short supply because they are much more expensive, better facilities as well as proper training, physio centers etc. All the while other Indian Teams (like the Indian handicapped teams etc) can't even get basic funding from the BCCI. All of that is neglected at the cost of putting together a circus for 20 overs because it generates maximum revunue for the already richest cricketting board in the world. That's why the comments from the usually bitter and angry Australian Press are absolutely correct and spot on.

[Macj]

^ Good post. IPL is a sham, i hope it goes when Modi gets thrown off BCCI.

[The Outsider]

I can't disagree with a single word which has been printed in those articles. And the response of some of the posters here is just stupidly jingoistic - "Oooh la la we are number 1", "Oooh the Aussies are playing for a draw", "Oooh everyone is out to bash the poor BCCI". The facts are out there on the table - Test cricket is being bled to a slow death by the BCCI through almost everything they can do - crazy scheduling, poor facilities at the ground, absence of matches etc. and in fact it is the right of the global media to point out to this hijacking and destruction of global cricket by Modi and his cronies. Kudos to the Aussie media for acting as opposed to our hijda media who are probably selling advertising spaces for the IPL in the meanwhile. Kudos also for players like Tendulkar, Sehwag, and Dravid to have come out in the open and said as much as they can possibly say being employees of the BCCI. This passage is the darkest hour of Indian cricket since match fixing. All time great players like Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman are being denied the opportunity to showcase their sporting and cricketing skills against the best in the most challenging format in lieu of bhaands dancing around in a stadium is one of the most shameful escapades in Indian cricketing history.

[Dinx - the Jinx]

I tihnk you're over simplifying the issues here. No one is against T20 or test cricket if they're truely cricket fans. What I'm against is the exploitation, and over saturation of one form of cricket over another purely for the sake of MONEY. T20s, ODIs, and Tests should not interfere with one another as has been the case for the majority of cricket's history. Just like in Soccer, domestic leagues, international competitions like the World Cup AND friendlies DON'T interfere with one another (mostly). The IPL however, by design is created to disrupt other forms of cricket because the BCCI has done everything in it's power to ensure that no other major series are taking place at the same time, while sucking up all the best international talent out there. Look at this way, Domestic cricket competitions in all countries (like Ranji Trophy) continue at the same time as international fixtures and those test/ODI players play for their countries, NOT their respective Ranji Teams. However, the BCCI/Modi designed and forced the IPL onto the world to be the exact opposite. The IPL is the ONLY domestic cricket league in the world that actually does it's best to prevent other internataional cricket to be played whether it be with ludicrously high player contracts to BCCI's power broking over the international scheduling to allow it an almost free open window where no other international cricket should interfere with it, or at least it tries to. Why should the IPL be afforded this kind of power then? The BCCI aren't alone in this but they bear the biggest responsbility. We have, right now, argueably the best test team ever assembled in India and they get to play a measely total of 5 tests next year while cricketers who've done more for Indian Cricket than the BCCI, like Dravid, Laxman, SRT etc waste the precious few months they have left on the international circuit. Just one test series watching these soon to be retired legendary cricketers take on the might of South Africa is worth far more than any and all IPL matches ever played or ever will be played. What would you rather say in 20-30 years time? "I got to watch SRT/Dravid/Laxman bat for the last time together and take on the great South Africans" OR "I got to watch dozens of IPL T20 matches where almost every other batsmen beat the tar out of the cricket ball." But yet, here we are. No test series against SA. That decision is already made for us. And THAT my friends is the point. IT'S NOT whether IPL is better/more popular than tests. IT'S that we've had a choice in the past between domestic/international cricket on what to watch. Thanks to (largely) the BCCI/Modi/IPL we DON'T have that choice now while the IPL season is on. That's what disgusts me. Instead we're "treated" to watching them put on a freak show, where individual class and talent are a distant second to pure slogging power in the IPL. Where we get to hear retarded and truely ignorant ADHD suffering idiots complain that Laxman, or Dravid, or SRT don't score quickly enough in IPL matches. If the BCCI was TRUELY insterested in promoting Indian Cricket they would be doing everything in their power to support domestic Indian cricket instead of a money making spin off like the IPL at the cost of other formats. In domestic cricket kookaburra balls are in short supply because they are much more expensive, better facilities as well as proper training, physio centers etc. All the while other Indian Teams (like the Indian handicapped teams etc) can't even get basic funding from the BCCI. All of that is neglected at the cost of putting together a circus for 20 overs because it generates maximum revunue for the already richest cricketting board in the world. That's why the comments from the usually bitter and angry Australian Press are absolutely correct and spot on.

Good one Fontaine... something has to be done to ensure that we play atleast 3-4 more tests in the next year than what is scheduled... I dont care if IPL has to be scrapped or postponed for that.. but i still cannot understand, why we cant play more test n ext year. IPL is in April, followed by T20WC.. what the hell are we doing after that till November?

[zubinpepsi]

great posts by Fontaine ans shwetabh... i see some support here for BCCI.. amazing... people can go to any length to support these bastards cuz of jingostic nature.. ... but they dont stop complaining abt pakis when they do the same thing.. hypocrites ..

Kudos also for players like Tendulkar, Sehwag, and Dravid to have come out in the open and said as much as they can possibly say being employees of the BCCI. This passage is the darkest hour of Indian cricket since match fixing. All time great players like Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman are being denied the opportunity to showcase their sporting and cricketing skills against the best in the most challenging format in lieu of bhaands dancing around in a stadium is one of the most shameful escapades in Indian cricketing history.

but i stilll think players arenot doing enough to make a protest.. BCCI is their employer.. so what... they guys are stars.. they make the BCCI powerful.. if SRT, sehwag, dhoni, dravid come out and say they gonna boycott IPL.. the board cant do anything.. they will lose the popularity.. this is where i think the players should take the power and show it to the BCCI.. but unfortunately i dont see tht happening.. when SRT and dravid can came out and said they will not play T20... wat prevents them now from doing the same..? sorry if players are not quite interested in pushing this agenda into BCCI.. we fans can do nothing.. only can sit and rant here..

[Nova]

The way Aussies r batting today - who's killing the test match?

Yes' date=' we are no1, you are no more. And we are kicking your backside in the next Border-Gavaskar trophy.[/quote'] :offtopic: Understand the real issue guys. You cannot cancel a important test series to give room for IPL. That's just unacceptable.