Tests are a bygone format, lets concentrate on newer things

[Precambrian]

We suck in ODI's abroad too.We havent played too many t20's on fast pitches but if we start sucking at that what will we do,So what will be the newest thing then? Instead of finding the root of the problem,running away from the format will not achieve anything. If the day comes when fans and players have totally lost interest in tests,then what you want will happen by itself

Not to the extent we do in case of tests. We recently won a Champions Trophy in england of all places. We won the CB series held in Australia, It is nowhere near as bad as test cricket performance is. Besides, in the long run we are going to suck in that as well - for good reason. That's why we need to pre-empt the embarassment and focus on what we are good at. Its not running away, but being conscious of own strengths, weaknesses and opportunities. Berating the new generation guys for not performing in test cricket is like berating Tendulkar for not good at fast bowling.

[Straight Drive]

Wrong. Ashes matches are almost nearly all sold out. And we are talking about stadiums like MCG. Because test cricket, especially Ashes is a part of sporting culture in those country. A sport that claims to be popular need to atleast have on ground attendance. I'd say as a spectator sport, that's it prime benchmark.

I don't agree with most of your views on this topic. We come from different cricketing environment and both have different knowledge and experience about the game of cricket, so we are bound to have difference of opinions.

[vvvslaxman]

It has. That's what has been the premise of anti test match arguments all along. :facepalm: In 1980s, my uncle and his friends used to take a train from Kerala and go to Chennai to watch a test match. That was devotion and following. Now, even if you're in Mylapore and the ground is just a 4 minute train ride away, hardly anybody cares. Still Chennai being Chennai, matters are slightly better. But talk about an IPL match, and the clamour for tickets start months early.

I have never gone to test matches except a couple. I still follow it religiously lol just because they don't go to ground doesn't mean they don't follow. With multi angle cameras, replays you get more on TV than in the 80s where you only had 2 cameras. That is a flimsy argument.

[vvvslaxman]

B->

No, I don't believe we have TRP ratings for test cricket anywhere comparable to ODIs or T20s, and quite honestly with stalwarts especially Sachin gone, a huge chunk of population have actually stopped caring for test cricket. Well, I quite frankly agree with you that we have a rubbish touring test side. And that's exactly what I have been talking about. Is that something to be really ashamed of? Or is that a byproduct of the changed focus and market dynamics? Young guns are preferring (and rightly so) the shorter formats - so it is obvious that the longer format is going to suffer, isn't it? Is it a bad thing? I don't think so. It's like saying we are absolutely rubbish in ice skiing or winter sports or ice hockey. And yes, it is cricket diplomacy when a 5 match test series is crammed into 40-45 days, with absolutely no time in between for touring teams to adapt to different conditions and adjust - or with touring games interspersed which allows struggling players to regain some sort of form. That isn't the way to play 5 match test series. Check Ashes.

No you are saying test matches are outdated so we should not play. So there is a difference.

[Straight Drive]

I have never gone to test matches except a couple. I still follow it religiously lol just because they don't go to ground doesn't mean they don't follow. With multi angle cameras' date=' replays you get more on TV than in the 80s where you only had 2 cameras. That is a flimsy argument.[/quote'] Very good point. My clubmate was coach of a Indian cricketer in the current touring squad for England tour. He still plays 3 day matches and is in cricketing system for about 3 decades now. I once asked him to come to watch a test match. He replied i prefer to watch on TV with benefits of replays. Now if one does not counts such a veteran professional cricketer as a cricket fans just because he does not prefers to watch test match live, then it is totally wrong. Fan following is not about how many spectators watch it live on ground.

[Straight Drive]

Akash Chopra, Vinod Kambli, Anshuman Gaekwad were not watching test series by being at ground, so they cannot be considered as test cricket fans?