IND vs BAN | D/N Tests not the solution to increasing popularity of format, asserts Simon Taufel
Retired Australian umpire Simon Taufel believes that D/N Test is not the only solution the reducing popularity of Test cricket with the emergence of one-day and T20 cricket. Taufel has also spoken about the kind of excessive pressure that is put on umpires to be 100% accurate which is not possible.
Simon Taufel was one of the best umpires in the game during his time and had won the ICC Umpire of the Year award five times in his career. He believes that there is undue pressure put on umpires to be perfect in their decision-making especially with the advent of T20 cricket. He feels this is not possible because after all even umpire are humans and they are bound to make mistakes.
"Fear, lack of courage, resilience, confidence and self-belief, are the biggest challenges umpires are facing. We are the ones who are under immense scrutiny in this modern-day broadcasting. It is expected of an umpire to be perfect which is not humanly possible and with the emergence of franchise cricket, extra pressure has come onto umpires," said Taufel, who was in Delhi to launch his first book titled Finding The Gaps.
“When you compete with those 30-odd cameras, the ball-tracker, Snicko, Hot Spot, the three experts in the commentary position, there are times when you don’t deliver perfection,” Taufel asserted.
Taufel is also excited about the D/N Test to be played between India and Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens on November 22. Although he hopes that the Test would be a success, he also claims that D/N Test will not solve all the problems that are associated with the decreasing popularity of the longest version of the game.
“It will be fascinating to see how the players will respond, how the players will respond. But I would also add that this is not the only solution of all the problems with Test cricket. We need to continuously promote, advance, make it (Test cricket) more attractive and entertaining to people. I would encourage people to not necessarily make emotional reactions because of one or two incidents. And make sure that we are making a change that is adding value rather than searching for perfection that we really know doesn’t exist,” he concluded.
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