Cricket tit-bits –McCullum says Test cricket will never die!
For all those of you who thought Test cricket were on a decline, be assured that its a just passing phase. The advent of Twenty20 might have kept the big match players at bay but New Zealand stumper Brendon McCullum does not think Twenty20 format’s overwhelming success has sounded Test cricket’s death knell.
The right-hander maintains that the longer version would always remain the pinnacle of the game. McCullum said he wanted to become a premier Test batsman and does not think the traditional format of the game cricket is on its deathbed. “Test cricket is still so special. I cannot see that it’ll ever die,†he said. “It may take a different course, but I don’t think it’ll die. There’s too much history, there’s too much support, there are too many purists out there for it to die,†McCullum was quoted as saying in an ICC release.
Making a comparison of both the formats, McCullum said, “Twenty20 is a vehicle to get more people to the game so that cricket has more followers. If we can do that and then we can even have a small percentage of them into Test followers, I think we would be doing our job. I cannot imagine Test cricket dying. Of course guys have their priorities and maybe the youngsters would like to play Twenty20 a little more but Test cricket would still survive because it’s the pinnacle of the game.â€
Dwelling on keeping, McCullum, who represents Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League, said Australian stumper-batsman Adam Gilchrist has changed the game for the glovesmen. “Adam Gilchrist changed the face of what a wicketkeeper’s role in the team was. He was phenomenal and he did it against all trends and he changed ideas of how a wicketkeeper should be involved in the team,†he said.
