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V.K. SANTOSH KUMAR
It took Sourav Ganguly "just three seconds" to convince Virat Kohli that India must play a day-night Test match against Bangladesh.
Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar believes the new president of the Indian cricket Board (BCCI) was able to do so because he is a former cricketer.
"Being a cricketer will help a board president take a lot more cricketing decisions," Gavaskar told tabla! during a three-day visit to Singapore last week. "And the acceptance of those decisions will be quicker."
India will play its first day-night Test against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata from Nov 22 to 26.
Captain Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri had turned down a request from the Australian board to play a pink-ball Test at the Adelaide Oval last year.
They later agreed to play day-night Tests against the West Indies before informing the court-appointed Committee of Administrators, which was running the BCCI until Ganguly was unanimously elected president on Oct 23, that the team was not ready and would need at least 12 to 18 months to prepare for the challenge of facing the pink ball under lights.
"Ganguly has made an instant impact by getting two teams who were not keen to play day-night cricket to play day-night cricket," said Gavaskar. "Though his term is for only 10 months, you can see that he is thinking forward. If he can set up a system (at the BCCI) to keep cricket at the forefront, it will be a tremendous success."
Given the dwindling audiences for Tests, Ganguly has always been vocal about how day-night Tests is the way forward and that this Indian team under Kohli has the wares to do well in the format.
He believes pink-ball contests will help Test cricket regain its popularity in the sub-continent after the fans' response was lukewarm during India's recent day-time 3-0 whitewash of South Africa.
"The poor spectator interest in Tests is because a lot of these contests are lopsided," said Gavaskar. "In India, the stadiums need a bit more covering. Rather than sit in the hot sun, fans prefer the air-conditioned comfort of their homes to watch the matches on television.
"Spectators are also not allowed to take even a bottle of water into the stadiums. The ticket prices too are unaffordable for families. The authorities will have to correct these things.
"But if it is a very good contest with McGrath, Warne and Gillespie bowling to Sehwag, Ganguly, Dravid, Tendulkar and Laxman, people will still flock to watch. If you have a great contest, you will still have great crowds."
Gavaskar earned fame by excelling in Test cricket. The Mumbai-born opening batsman was noted for his powers of concentration, prolific scoring ability and water-tight technique to counter fast bowling. When one-day cricket came to the forefront in the 70s, he hated it so much that he registered his protest by taking 174 balls to score 36 not out against England in the inaugural World Cup in 1975.
But he is a changed man now. "I just love the energy of modern cricket," he said. "One-day and Twenty20 matches have helped Test cricket as well.
"Now you seldom find a Test is drawn. A lot more runs are being scored every day. Lot of boundaries and sixes are being hit. Cricket certainly has become a lot more attractive."
India currently lead the World Test Championship table with 240 points after recording five wins in five matches. They have been beating teams in this format regularly in recent years.
But they have not won a global tournament in the shorter formats since the 2013 Champions Trophy despite being considered one of the leading sides.
"In limited overs cricket you can always have a bad day," said Gavaskar.
"That is what has been happening with the Indian team. They have been in three finals, but were caught on the wrong foot on those days, like at this year's World Cup when they had to bat second when the conditions were made for New Zealand's bowlers. That can happen."
India lost to New Zealand by 18 runs in the semi-final at Old Trafford in Manchester, England.
Gavaskar is not unduly worried about India's winless run. "While Sourav has expressed concern that they have not won enough, I do believe that the team has got the potential to win the World Cup," he said. "Like in 2011, the 2023 World Cup will be held in India, and they could win it."
Critics had slammed the slow batting by stalwart Mahendra Singh Dhoni as one of the reasons for India's semi-final exit at this year's World Cup. But Gavaskar feels that was not really the case.
"No individual can cost you the World Cup," he said. "Only a team can. That day when the two guys in form throughout the tournament - Rohit Sharma with five centuries and Virat with five half-centuries - got out cheaply, suddenly the pressure was on the others. Unfortunately, it happened. They lost on my birthday (July 10), so it is not a great memory for me either."
Contrary to what many expected, Dhoni did not announce his retirement from the shorter formats of the game after the World Cup.
There is now pressure on Ganguly and the national-team selectors to take a decision on the future of the wicketkeeper-batsman, particularly after the recent failures of his replacement Rishabh Pant with the bat and his bad umpire Decision Review System calls, which Dhoni had mastered.
"The chairman of the selection committee has said that they are looking beyond MSD now," said Gavaskar. "He has retired from Test cricket and, knowing him, he will quietly walk into the sunset. He is not the one who has ever made a fuss about anything. He's not going to make a fuss about his own retirement."
If broadcaster Sar has its way, Dhoni could figure as a "guest" commentator during India's historic day-night Test with Bangladesh. It has proposed to the BCCI president that all former India captains talk about their favourite moments in Tests during the first two days of the match.
Gavaskar also feels the BCCI should take a quick decision on reconstituting the national team selection committee as questions are being asked about the selection process and the inclusion of certain players in the team at the exclusion of others.
"Selection is something that Ganguly won't interfere in too much," said Gavaskar.
"Knowing that he is president, there won't be interference from other people too.
"But it would be ideal if a new selection committee is formed quickly. If it has people who have played a lot of games for India, it will be a terrific thing."
The current selection panel - M.S.K. Prasad (chairman), Devang Gandhi, Sarandeep Singh, Jatin Paranjpe and Gagan Khoda - have together played 13 Tests.
