england test captain ben stokes has taken to the International Cricket Council (ICC) for not paying enough attention to the schedule, adding that the growing popularity of domestic T20 leagues around the world is threatening the existence of the longest format. Stokes, who led his team to a 3-0 sweep of Pakistan recently, added that the way Test cricket is being handled and talked about these days, especially in the context of league cricket’s growing popularity, is hurting him. “Schedules don’t get as much attention as they should. A good example is England’s one-day series against Australia after the T20 World Cup. That’s pushing three games there. Scheduling a pointless series against It makes sense for someone,” Stokes said in an interaction with legend Ian Botham on the BBC on Monday.
“Talk about Test cricket in a way I don’t like. It’s losing fans’ attention to all the new formats and franchise games. We know there are a lot of opportunities for players away from Test cricket. But for me it’s very much for the game. Important,” Stokes added.
Stoke suggested Test nations should follow in England’s footsteps in playing super-aggressive cricket, saying “entertainment” rather than “results” would go a long way in popularizing the five-day format.
“Taking results out of the mindset is a great place to start. Focus on making each day fun. Don’t let people know what to expect. If people are excited about what they’re going to watch, you’ve already won Before pitching,” Stokes said.
He urged the ICC to do “something different” to popularize cricket testing.
“I love playing Test cricket and feel we can do something different,” added Stokes, who has led England to nine Test victories in 10 games since taking over as captain. Joe Root.
The 31-year-old all-rounder is also not happy with the number of different teams being drafted, with players being rested due to the sheer volume of cricketing and the commitment of cricketers to their franchises.
“Some people say ‘you’re playing for England and that should be enough’. But there are a lot of factors to consider. You want international cricket to be of the highest standard. But we’ve seen a lot of different teams being picked, players rested. , this is not the way international cricket should be going,” Stokes opined.
Botham, while agreeing that franchising cricket is a good idea, called for a balance between domestic leagues and the longest format of the game.
“Test cricket is called the game of cricket for a good reason because it tests all the abilities of a player. The emphasis is too much on the white ball. In England we currently have a couple of first-class games in early April and it will Gone until the end of the season. It should be better balanced. You have to make room for all of that,” Botham said.
“The idea of franchising is a solid good idea. I just hope we can keep that balance. If franchising can keep that balance, then let’s see.”
(This story was not edited by NDTV staff and was automatically generated from syndicated feeds.)
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