[ad_1]
India loves its cricket but do the crowds receive Tests the same way as they embrace IPL, T20Is and ODI cricket? Having committed to invite England and Australia for five-match Test series in the current 4-year cycle, the first instalment that starts on Thursday against Ben Stokes and Co will give an instant appraisal of spectator interest for the purest format.
Interestingly, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has chosen cities which have previously hosted only 16 Tests between them – 9 by Hyderabad, 2 each by Visakhapatnam, Rajkot and Ranchi, and one by Dharamsala. There’s nothing to suggest maximizing home advantage was behind the scheduling. Else, Mumbai and Chennai’s red-soil pitches would be the most conducive to produce turners. The schedule conforms with the board’s rotation policy and its decision to open up Test cricket to smaller centres.
Given the fall in playing standards and dwindling interest for Tests outside the big three cricket nations, South Africa’s shifting focus towards T20s, bilateral cricket with Pakistan being a no-go zone, Test series against England and Australia have become marquee events. Was there, therefore, a case of playing the upcoming series at the traditional Test centres more attuned to following red-ball internationals?
TRADITIONAL CENTRES
Before ODI cricket took prominence in the 90s, Test cricket in India was mostly restricted to the five metros – the permanent Test centres. Eden Gardens in Kolkata has hosted the most Tests (42), followed by Delhi’s Ferozeshah Kotla (35), Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium (34), Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium (26) and Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium (24), followed closely by Kanpur’s Green Park (23). Ahmedabad’s Motera, now the Narendra Modi Stadium (15), and Mohali’s PCA Stadium (14) too have hosted a number of Tests.
After the riches of IPL filtered down to BCCI’s 38 state units there was a growing demand to spread international cricket to more cities.
“More and more centres have built their own stadia. Why should we let that infrastructure go waste? Besides, it is one way of building interest for Test cricket around the country,” IPL chairman, Arun Dhumal, said.
DRAWING CROWDS
The new centres, however, are taking time to warm up to Test cricket. England’s travelling fans made more noise than locals during the 2016 series at Rajkot and Visakhapatnam.
The Hyderabad Cricket Association which will host the first Test is taking efforts to draw crowds through affordable ticket rates. 5,000 complimentary tickets will be given out daily to school students and armed forces personnel will be allowed free entry on Republic Day. Whether the crowd will grasp the true understanding of an audacious Joe Root switch-hit or a Jasprit Bumrah yorker with the new ball, typifying the changing beats of Test cricket is the moot question. Mumbai has its popular North Stand with a fan group made up of regular Test cricket spectators.
“You will only know when you give crowds at smaller cities a chance to become acquainted with Test cricket,” said Jaydev Shah, former cricketer and president of Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA), which will host the third Test. “Let’s face it, we are not going to make much money from gate receipts. The idea is to promote Test cricket. As it is the major centers get to host IPL, ICC events as well as their share of bilateral cricket.”
With Test costs safeguarded by broadcast income in India and the state units’ prestige at stake, no one wants to miss the chance to host Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, even in white flannels. But the Covid years showed that broadcast dollars are not enough to make sport exciting. And Test cricket isn’t attracting packed houses in India anymore.
Dharmsala, the fifth Test venue, being a hilly tourist destination with its scenic beauty will be a hit with the travelling fans. But will the big stadiums of Visakhapatnam and Ranchi attract crowds?
“With the volume of cricket being played, the scheduling has to be thought through,” said Ratnakar Shetty, BCCI’s former chief administrative officer. “Perhaps, there is a case of playing big teams like England, Australia and South Africa at the traditional Test centres. That way, the smaller centres will still get to watch Indian stars but against second tier teams. However, with the way BCCI’s voting structure works, it isn’t an easy call to make.”
In Australia, only six state teams play domestic cricket and five major centres get the big Tests. In England’s 18-County structure, Tests are restricted to six centres. Lord’s has hosted the most Tests (145) in history.
PLAYERS’ TAKE
Player opinion remains divided. When he was India captain, Virat Kohli was categorical that Test cricket should be played at five strong Test centres. Current skipper Rohit Sharma’s view is diametrically opposite. “If you want to promote Test cricket, it should be played in every part of the country and not be restricted to a handful of big centres,” he said last year.
Go further back to what MS Dhoni said in 2010. “Maybe some of these centres where people come to see Test matches can be given preference over some other centres where people don’t come in large numbers,” he said. “After all, if taken in the right sense, we are the performers in the circus, but you need the circus to be full.”
If BCCI is the ringmaster, it is still searching for the perfect answer.
Most Tests in India
Eden Gardens, Kolkata – 42
Ferozeshah Kotla, Delhi – 35
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai – 34
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai – 26
M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru — 24
Green Park, Kanpur — 23
Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai — 18
Motera, Ahmedabad — 15
PCA Stadium, Mohali — 14
Upcoming series venues
RGI Stadium, Hyderabad – 5
ACA-VDCA Stadium, Visakhapatnam – 2
SCA Stadium, Rajkot – 2
JSCA Stadium, Ranchi – 2
HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala – 1
[ad_2]
Source link