Ian Botham- India should know there is more to cricket than T20

[HippoSucks]

"I am disappointed with Indian cricket right now. Cricket is more than just a 20-over game, they need to understand that. England's contests with India always used to excite me but right now, I don't know what to say,"

 

"Where is India going in Test cricket? Why is it happening to the team. Is it saturation of Twenty20? India needs to figure out," Botham seemed baffled in the manner India has treated Test cricket.

 

"Look, I don't understand rankings. England, South Adrica and Australia are playing the best Test cricket to my mind," he was forthright in his assessment.

 

"Australia has an established Big Bash, it's pretty well fitted in the calendar. England is also alright with a proper set up. Look you can have Twenty20 matches but it cannot be week in and week out. People get bored of it," he said.

 

England are scheduled to tour India in November-December this year to play five Test matches.

"That should be a good series, I am looking forward to it because England have been doing really well. They have revamped the system, gone to factory settings and are looking good," he said.

 

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/report/why-botham-is-disappointed-with-indian-cricket/20160418.htm

Edited April 18, 2016 by HippoSucks

[Ankit_sharma03]

Botham- "I am disappointed with Indian cricket right now. Cricket is more than just a 20-over game, they need to understand that. England's contests with India always used to excite me but right now, I don't know what to say," 

"Where is India going in Test cricket? Why is it happening to the team. Is it saturation of Twenty20? India needs to figure out,"

"Look, I don't understand rankings. England, South Adrica and Australia are playing the best Test cricket to my mind,"

"Australia has an established Big Bash, it's pretty well fitted in the calendar. England is also alright with a proper set up. Look you can have Twenty20 matches but it cannot be week in and week out. People get bored of it,"

 

Full article-http://www.rediff.com/cricket/report/why-botham-is-disappointed-with-indian-cricket/20160418.htm

 

>Does he Knw India ranks 2nd and Eng 5th in Icc test ranking

>Eng wud play pak n sri lanka and improve their rankings and when we ll win at home we ll be called "tigers at home"

>England were the one who started t20 , If m nt wrong Indian team plays the least t20 internationals. 

 

Why arent these ex-cricketers more worries about Pakistan, west indies and Sri lankan cricket. Atleast we have gud crop of cricketers coming and there is far better infrastructure placed with our cricket . We know have cricketers involved in administration and our cricket has money. 

Worry about those cricketing nation as we r doing far better than we were in 90s. 

Btw were was botham and these so called x-cricketers concern in 90s, ohhh yea there was no IPL . Trust me more than us its them who worries about IPL.

 

 

[Texan]

Strange coming from an English guy. They invented T20 cricket, not India. They just seem a bit jealous that India was able to pull off such a spectacle with IPL in the format that they invented (just like all the other formats) and England's own comparable league is not even a tenth of the IPL. 

[Lannister]

I have to half agree with him though. Indian Test cricket has gone to gutter level once Dhoni took in charge as a captain. Test cricket used to excite me a lot, but now ... 

[Ankit_sharma03]

8 minutes ago, Lannister said:

I have to half agree with him though. Indian Test cricket has gone to gutter level once Dhoni took in charge as a captain. Test cricket used to excite me a lot, but now ... 

Wnt blame dhoni alone Sreeni mama , Selector Chikka, Sachin who actually shud have retired earlier, Downfall of gambhir, sehwag and bhajji,Dravid,sachin, laxman also Sreesanth Rp n ishant not rising to next level infact falling down , Duncan fletcher and staff many were equally responsible.

We were pretty gud till 2010 , had few bad yrs and yes dhoni captaincy was quite obnoxious but blaming him alone is easy. 

 

Even Eng suffered huge losses in Aus , Uae and even australia had there share of big defeats, so no point blaming india only. Botham may have an opinion but that opinion comes out of jealously more than concern 

[Debutant]

Another whining Pom  

[kosingh]

BCCI, give him a commentary contract, and he'll praising T20 and IPL like it's the most amazing innovation in human history

[mishra]

Its just hyping up the upcomming series. But all praise to England. They got good test side which can win or draw series in most condition. A very good odi and t20 side.

 

On contrary, Indian cricket has gone down the gutter. MSD systematically got rid of senior players just when Sachin retired +- few months. Scalps includes Yuvi Bhajji dravid laxman gambhir .

BCCI chose to reward PK VK BK Jaddu over a  list of pacers/spinner. Karthik/Othoopa who could have been groomed to replace MSD with gloves.

 

Its only now after so many years, with Srini Mama and csk gone, people like Manish Pandey are getting chance. But once again MSD is back to his old politics by selecting Yuvi and Darty to make his cricket camp politically stronger.

[mishra]

He is not the only one.

[MechEng]

Just like how Tony Greig fired up West Indian bowlers, Botham is firing up our firki gendbaaz.

[Shivaji bhonsle]

I watch test cricket these days because Virat is the captain now. This 5 test series will be exciting. Bring in Umesh, Varun and Shami.

[mishra]

Unless India humiliates England in India and draws/wins a series in England, Beefy is well within his right to make such statements.

[Ankit_sharma03]

7 minutes ago, mishra said:

Unless India humiliates England in India and draws/wins a series in England, Beefy is well within his right to make such statements.

They ll still cry coz of the pitches. They cry about everything pitches, ipl, reverse swing 

[chewy]

Is Botham whining because now his employer also showing IPL  in UK, he should whine at Sky Sports UK for broadcasting too much T20 cricket. 

 

and btw, when is BCCI going to get Bumble into IPL comm box!! 

[kosingh]

Botham to stick to tweeting out pictures of his dick

[G_B_]

really? after we defeated SA quite comprehensively in test cricket he comes out with this?

 

Yes Indian test cricket team is not perfect, but we are ranked number 2 in the world.

 

It seems beefy is on comment making mode..... first on brexit and now on Indian cricket.

[Soorma_Bhopali]

England should worry more about their cricket where , due to cricket not being on terrestrial TV for last decade, is losing interest and profile among youth. Botham should also know that EPL is not football and there is more to football - World Cup, Champions and Europa league than EPL ..LOL

[express bowling]

17 hours ago, Shivaji bhonsle said:

I watch test cricket these days because Virat is the captain now. This 5 test series will be exciting. Bring in Umesh, Varun and Shami.

    and Ishant

[goose]

What is his point exactly...anyone know?

Edited April 20, 2016 by goose

[YCCC]

He hates T20. Not sure why he's suddenly picking on India though