Test cricket needs to be more engaging, ODI is becoming monotonous too: Sachin Tendulkar
New Delhi (PTI): Sachin Tendulkar feels in order to keep the primacy and attractiveness of Test cricket intact, one shouldn't look at in how many days the match ends, but instead the focus should be on garnering more eyeballs.
The legendary cricketer is also finding current ODI cricket, a bit of a drag and wouldn't mind a change in format.
Three of the Border-Gavaskar Tests between India and Australia recently ended inside two-and-a-half days, leading to a massive criticism of pitches, but Tendulkar said it is part and parcel of cricketer's job to play on different surfaces.
"We need to understand one thing that Test cricket should be engaging and it should not be about how many days it lasts, five days or whatever. We (cricketers) are meant to play on different surfaces; be it a bouncy track, a fast track, slow track, turning track, swinging conditions, seaming conditions with different balls," opined Tendulkar on Sports Tak.
He also said that at a time when the ICC, MCC and other cricketing bodies are talking about making Test cricket entertaining and the the No.1 format, there was no harm in matches ending in three days. Besides, touring teams should no think that they will get featherbeds and they should make thorough preparations.
"When you tour, there are not easy conditions. You need to understand what's happening, assess everything and then start planning things. For me, the most important factor is the kind of surface that we play on because that is the heart of Test cricket.
"All the guys, including the ICC, MCC, etc, we are talking about Test cricket. How Test cricket can continue to be the No.1 format. So, if we want that, then we need to have something for the bowlers because bowlers ask a question (off) every ball and the batter has to answer that. So, if that question itself is not interesting enough, how are you going to have more eyeballs.
He indicated sports should be result-oriented and everyone should go home knowing "who won, who lost".
"We should not be bothered too much about number of days. I feel it should be whether the match was exciting enough or not. Nobody wants to go back home not knowing who has won and who has lost," added Tendulkar.
He also said there was no harm in giving the new ball to a spinner if the surface so demanded.
"Instead of a fast bowler bowling an opening spell, why cannot a spinner be bowling a wonderful spell. It's just a different kind of surface we are playing on and that should also be challenging enough for batters to go out there and express themselves ... if somebody has batted well, he gets runs, simple."
ODI CRICKET GETTING MONOTONOUS
With former India coach Ravi Shastri wanting ODI cricket to change with the times and be made a 40-over-a-side affair, Tendulkar agreed that the format was getting monotonous and suggested a way to make it entertaining.
"It's getting monotonous, without a doubt. There are two parts to it. One is the current format and the next which I feel that should be played.
"The current format, which has been there for a while now is two new balls (per innings). When you have two new balls, you have kind of eliminated reverse swing. Even though, we are in the 40th over of the game, it's just the 20th over of that ball. And the ball only starts reversing around the 30th over. That element is missing today because of two new balls. The current format, I feel, is heavy on bowlers."
Right now, the game is becoming too predictable. From the 15th to the 40th over its losing its momentum. It's getting boring.
He opined, that while there was no harm in retaining the 50-over format, teams should alternate between batting and bowling after every 25 overs, as that will give the opponents level-playing ground and take toss, dew factor and other conditions out of the equation.
"So, both teams bowl in the first and the second half. Commercially too it more viable as there will be three innings breaks instead of two."
SHOULD SALIVA BE ALLOWED AGAIN?
Tendulkar advocated that with the Covid-19 pandemic history now, the ICC should reverse its rule on disallowing the use of saliva to shine the ball.
"I am no medical expert but I think it should (saliva) be back because its happened over 100 years. Guys have used saliva and nothing drastic has happened. A couple of years in between were challenging and rightly so that decision (to ban use of saliva to polish the ball) was taken, but now it's (Covid-19) behind us," opned Tendulkar.
Asked if he sees himself becoming a BCCI administrator in the future, Tendulkar said, Maine itni zyada fast bowling nahin ki hai (I have never bowled so fast ever)... because (ex-BCCI president) Sourav (Ganguly) still considered himself a fast bowler," said Tendulkar in jest.
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Allu Arjun didn't leave theatre despite being told about woman's death: Hyderabad police
Hyderabad, Dec 22: Top Telugu actor Allu Arjun did not leave the theatre during the screening of 'Pushpa-2' on December 4 despite being told to do so in view of a stampede in which a woman died, police officials claimed on on Sunday.
Speaking at a press conference on the annual round-up of 2024, city police commissioner C V Anand showed a video, made by police, on the situation that prevailed when the stampede occurred.
The video was made by collating footage, including from news channels and cell phone clips. It suggests the actor remained in the theatre till the midnight.
Anand did not make any comment on the video, but said the media can draw its own conclusions.
A police official talked about the sequence of events on the fateful night of December 4.
He said that he and other police officials informed a manager of Allu Arjun about the death of the woman and told him that the situation was out of control. He indicated that they were not allowed to meet the actor.
Allu Arjun's staff members told them that they would convey the matter to the actor but did not do so, he said.
The official said he later managed to reach the actor, told him about the woman's death and asked him to leave the theatre so that the fans don't harm each other while trying to catch a glimpse of him.
The official also told the actor that security arrangements would be made for his exit.
However, the actor said he would go only after watching the film, the police official said.
Later, accompanied by a senior officer, the official went inside and brought the actor out, he said.
Amid allegations that bouncers hired by Allu Arjun pushed crowds as well as policemen when the stampede occurred at the cinema hall, the police commissioner warned that stringent action as per law would be taken if THE bouncers indeed misbehaved with the police on duty.
The VIPs would be made responsible for the behaviour of the bouncers hired by them, he said.
Asked if the police would appeal against the interim bail granted to Allu Arjun, the commissioner refused to give a direct response, just saying it is part of the investigation.
What course of action is taken would be known in the days to come, he said.
He also declined to comment when asked if the family of the deceased told him about Allu Arjun's team or film production team allegedly threatening them not to speak on the issue.
Meanwhile, state Cinematography Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy found fault with Allu Arjun responding on Saturday to the debate in the Legislative Assembly.
The minister, who observed that the actor should have respect for the government and the chief minister, demanded an apology from Allu Arjun to the government and the CM.
"This government is never vindictive. As Cinematography Minister, we allowed benefit shows and hiking ticket prices to promote the film industry," he said.
However, Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar found fault with CM Revanth Reddy for his comments on Allu Arjun in the Assembly on Saturday.
The comments of the CM sounded like character assassination of Allu Arjun and hurting the Telugu film industry, he alleged in a statement.
Later in the day, Sanjay Kumar visited a boy who is undergoing treatment in a hospital after being injured in the stampede.
"Consoled his father over the heartbreaking loss of his wife, Revathi. I pray to god that Sritej recovers at the earliest. Assured support to the family in this difficult time," Kumar said on X.
Earlier in the day, state DGP Jitender told reporters in Karimnagar district that film personalities and all others should understand that safety and security of citizens is utmost important, and also conduct themselves accordingly.
