ICC to discuss four-day Test amid growing concerns, confirms Anil Kumble
Head of the cricket committee of ICC, Anil Kumble, has confirmed that the proposal to have four-day Tests will be discussed in the next round of meetings in March in Dubai amid the growing criticism against it. ICC are understood to be pushing for the move in a bid to free up space on the calendar.
It seems that all the criticism from current players like Virat Kohli, Nathan Lyon, and Neil Wagner, and former greats like Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting have fallen on deaf ears. The sport's governing body will discuss the proposal when the cricket committee, comprising also of Andrew Strauss, Rahul Dravid, Mahela Jayawardene, and Shaun Pollock, meet in Dubai from March 27-31.
"Since I am part of the committee, I can't tell what I am thinking about it (proposal) at the moment. We will discuss it in the meeting and let you know," Kumble told PTI.
The proposal, which has been floated for the 2023-2031 cycle, has support from the likes of Shane Warne, Mark Taylor, and Michael Vaughan. But the bid to free up space in the crowded calendar and use that time for the commercially lucrative shorter formats has not gone down well many greats of the game.
"According to me, it should not be altered. As I said, the day-night is another step towards commercialising Test cricket and you know, creating excitement around it, but it can't be tinkered with too much," Kohli said ahead of the T20I series against Sri Lanka.
"Then you are purely only talking about getting numbers, entertainment and you know. I think the intent will not be right then because then you will speak of three-day Tests. I mean where do you end. Then you will speak of Test cricket disappearing. So I don't endorse that at all,” Kohli added.
Leading Australia spinner Nathan Lyon has termed the idea "ridiculous,” while Ponting also expressed his disapproval of scrapping the final day.
"I understand there is a commercial side to it, saving money and things like that and how they would start on a Thursday to finish on Sunday. I'd like to hear the other reasons behind it. I don't understand it enough and I'm very much a traditionalist, so if something's not really badly broken then why do we need to fix it or change it?" Ponting was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
However, England and Ireland had played a four-day Test last year, just prior to the Ashes, while South Africa and Zimbabwe too played an experimental one in 2017.
