Dr. Muralidaran Ramesh Somasunderam.

Test Match cricket is the pinnacle of the game of cricket.

Cricket was introduced by Great Britain who embody the great game with its history, culture and heritage in regard to Test Match cricket in particular.    

Unfortunately, money speaks in the world today and based on this factor, India dominates the revenue regarding international cricket both in Test Match cricket and One Day cricket, including the International Cricket Council, which is based on the revenue India generates both through TV, and the viewing public who come to watch a cricket game through the gates. Therefore, India which dominates the great game of cricket based on the revenue it generates focuses very much on limited over cricket, particularly twenty overs cricket matches. This in my view is destroying the great game of cricket especially Test Match cricket, which is the real game of cricket or the pinnacle of the game.

Test Match cricket over the years has produced many great players, such as Dr. W.G. Grace, Sir Jack Hobbs, Sir Walter Hammond, Sir Leonard Hutton, Sir Alec Bedser and Sir Donald Bradman to name a few distinguished cricketers who graced the great game of cricket in the past. In modern times the great batman of our time was Master Blaster Sir Vivian Richards of the West Indies who was a cricketer with no fear as he never used a helmet when batting against high quality fast bowling. He played every stroke in the book even though he might not have pleased the purists of Test Match cricket as he was an eye player who was not orthodox or did not play according to the M.C.C. coaching manual. Nevertheless, Sir Richards embodies true batsmanship without fear. Nowadays batsmen use total protective equipment as they are not confident of their safety when facing high quality fast bowling unlike Sir Vivian Richards. This in my view is due to the lack of correct technique of a modern-day batsman. This is predominantly because of the focus of One Day cricket ahead of Test Match cricket, which is the genuine or true game of cricket, as it is a test of technique, concentration, physical fitness and the psychology of a payer’s mental strength in particular.

The batsman who brought technique, especially regarding quality defensive batting was Sir Jack Hobbs of Great Britain. He also ensured that side on cricket was the correct method or approach adopted when batting particularly on uncovered wickets during his playing days when he played in Great Britain predominantly, and Australia in the Ashes Test Match cricket series.   

In conclusion, if India dominates the game of cricket peculiarly with their position and role they posses in regard to the International Cricket Council in ten years’ time the great game of Test Match cricket, which is the truest test between bat and ball will be destroyed to twenty over a side limited overs One Day cricket. This will be a very unfortunate and a sad time for the purists of the great game, especially who value and cherish Test Match cricket as the true test of the great game of cricket.