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Since the T20 cricket format has been introduced, it has
become very popular among the cricket lovers. Lot of tournaments are being held
based on the T20 format, the most prestigious been the ICC T20 World Cup. In
India too, the IPL tournament is held every year and has been very successful.
Basically T20 cricket has gain a lot of popularity over the years and today
become the most loved format among the cricket lovers.
But T20 format has faced lot of criticism also. The main
reason is due to the impact it has caused on the existing Test and ODI format
of the game. The T20 cricket has gained so much of popularity that people are
losing the interest in watching the Test and the ODI games. This is because,
the T20 is a very shorter version of the game. The entire game is over within
4-5 hours, while Test cricket lasts for 5 days and ODI one has to spend the
entire day to watch the complete game.
Besides the interest among the people, the T20 format has
impacted the quality of the Test and ODI games. To play the longer duration of
Test cricket, it is very important that the players have the proper skills to
play this form. Test cricket tests the patience of the bowlers and the batsmen.
The bowlers get a chance to experiment with their bowling, while the batsmen
develop the skills to defend such bowling and at the same time score runs. And
this is the reason why it is called the First Class cricket.
But with introduction of the T20, the classiness of the game
is losing. Previously, the run rate of around 3-4 runs per over use to be
considered a very good run rate for a test game. But nowadays a run rate of
over 5 can also be easily maintained in the Test matches also. The scoring rate
has become so high that the match doesn’t even lasts for 5 days.
The other impact is on the quality of the new players. T20
cricket actually doesn’t tests the skills of the player. As the bowlers get
only 4 overs to ball, there is no scope to experiment with bowling. While the
batsmen’s goal is to score big on each and every ball, there is no scope to
show the technical skills. Hence when these players play the longer version of
the game, they are not very successful and it is right to say that T20 is
killing the cricketing skills.
One more impact I see that the Test cricket may lose its
existence. If you see the younger generation, no one seems to be interested in
watching the Test cricket. In this fast pace life people do not have time to
spare 5 days to watch the Test match. Also, people are more interested in the
high energy T20 matches and get entertained. Hence going forward, the game doesn’t
find its viewer, it may have to lose the existence.
As a cricket lover, I can only wish that the First Class
cricket does not get impacted with such new formats being introduced.
