Gaekwad - Too Much ODI Cricket Has Ruined Tests (16 Feb 1997)

16 February 1997

Gaekwad - Too Much ODI Cricket Has Ruined Test Cricket

By Ranjan Anandappa

THE PRESENT Indian under-19 cricket coach former Indian Test opener Anshuman Gaekwad once held the Guinness, Book of records for the slowest double-hundred, batting for two days in a Test match against arch rivals Pakistan in India.

Subsequently there was a slower double `ton` by former Sri Lankan opener Brendon Kuruppu in a Test match against New Zealand played in Sri Lanka in 1987 at the Colombo Cricket Club grounds.

Gaekwad who is a firm believer that the game of cricket should be played in the right perspective irrespective, of the outcome of the game said that an exciting youth Test series is on the cards. ``We would like to win here, but at the same time, winning or losing is not everything. The main idea is gaining experience. Because these are all youngsters and with the experience gained probably they could come up to a higher standard. These tours are basically meant for assisting the players who have the potential and promise who could later represent the country".

He further said that too much of limited over cricket has ruined Test cricket. ``The bowling and the batting both have changed, techniques have reduced, rather playing more negatively, but their is one good thing because of the one-day cricket - the standard of fielding has improved a lot,``said Gaekwad.

Like in the past there are very few players who could adjust themselves for a long innings. That has been one reason for a Test match to be all over within three and a half or four days.

``You don`t find many people playing that long innings of double hundreds and triple hundreds which was happening earlier.Now people want to get on with the business and start playing shots early instead of staying at the wicket, by that their are more chances of making mistakes. You find that the innings get over much faster than what it was earlier -certainly because of one day cricket``, added the coach.

Anshuman said that the fastest bowler that he had faced was Michael Holding. ``The West Indian bowling strength lay in their battery of pacemen. During my time, there was no relaxing with people like Holding, Garner, Wayne Daniel, and Andy Roberts around. All were equally aggressive and venomous.``

``The present day West Indian pacemen although aggressive do not have the amount of choice that they had earlier. The earlier ones were same quality bowlers with aggression. They used to have three or four, so there was no respite for the batsmen. But now at least you could relax in between as they lack the constant venom which they had in the past`` said Gaekwad.

``To be very frank at any time Michael Holding has been the fastest.`` But looking at a bowler who sends in the ball at 75 mph,80 mph it will not make much of a difference, it goes as quick as you could expect. Unless some one delivers the ball at 70 mph and the other at 90 mph which could make a significant difference,`` said the former Indian opener.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)