Kumble says Test cricket is not dying

“One thing I would like to reiterate and urge everybody who loves Test cricket to do, is that if we consistently talk about the death of Test cricket, then it’s going to happen one day, eventually,” the 45-year-old former leg-spinner stated.

“Probably when Kerry Packer came in the 1970s, people would have spoken about the death of Test cricket then as well. And it’s 50 years since and we’ve been continuing to play Test cricket. So the format will remain,” added the former skipper who finished with 619 Test wickets.

‘Jumbo’, as he is fondly referred to, admitted that the crowds at Test matches have dropped compared to his playing days, but pointed that it did not necessarily signify a decrease in public interest in the longest format of the game given the digital age that we are in.

“Today people are on smartphones. We say not many people are there to watch the game, but nobody has done a survey on how many are actually following the game. I think the following has probably increased, for Test cricket and cricket in general,” said Kumble, a proven match-winner both at home and overseas.

“It’s also a great platform to promote Test cricket in this digital era. You can get notifications on your phone, watch highlights, you don’t need to sit and watch through six hours. I don’t think that is something that we will get people to do. But at the same time, the following of Test cricket will certainly improve.

“And credit to BCCI that we are playing 13 Test matches at home and in new centers, where people will want to be involved,” added the Karnataka star.

Meanwhile, BCCI president Anurag Thakur reiterated the board’s efforts to boost the image of Test cricket at home.

“We have made sure that in the next eight years, India is going to play at home from October to March. We have put it in the Future Tours Programme specifically that we have to play in these months at home, and a minimum number of matches so that the revenue of BCCI is secured,” he said.

“As far as Test cricket is concerned, today it’s not loss making for either the cricketers or the board. For the cricketers, in one go we have increased match fees from seven lakh to 15 lakh. I don’t see the day coming soon for Indian cricket where we have to subsidise Test cricket, no,” Thakur added.