Richard Hadlee: T20 won’ t survive without Test cricket


Richard Hadlee: T20 won’ t survive without Test cricket

A perfectionist at heart, New Zealand rate fantastic Sir Richard Hadlee is not a fan of T20 cricket and has no qualms in asserting that the quickest format will not survive if Tests are not looked after.

If a balance is struck,

Hadlee stated the structure of cricket need to be “preserved” and all 3 formats can co-exist.

“Test cricket must be preserved. It’s the foundation on which the game is based. So we must look after the five-day game,” Hadlee stated.

“Certainly with emergence of T20 cricket which is a revolution in the game, all three formats need to live together. They can co-exist but I hate to see that T20 cricket will dominate world cricket,” the 69- year-old made his choice clear in reaction to a question from PTI.

He is really sure that T20 cricket won’ t have the ability to sustain the game if the conventional format is not looked after.

“Probably too much T20 cricket is played around the world. But I hope that the game doesn’t try to just survive through T20 cricket because T20 cricket is not real cricket. Real cricket is Test cricket,” stated Hadlee, the owner of 431 Test wickets and 3124 ranges from just 86 Tests.

Hadlee, nevertheless, feels that T20 has actually produced more skilled players although they may not be much better cricketers.

“I am not saying they are better players but they are certainly more skillful. Because of different formats that they play, they have to adapt to different situations particularly in T20 which is a high risk game anyway with all the trick shots that they play,” he specified.

” The T20 generation bowlers today have for a minimum of 5 variations. They bowl various shipments like knuckle ball, back of the hand slower one.

“Back in my time, I only had two variations (inswinger and outswinger). That’s all I needed,” stated the guy, who throughout his best days moved the ball in and out without any obvious modification in wrist position.

Excessive of T20 cricket will lead to burnout and early retirements with many fast bowlers choosing to stop longer format once they are around 34.

” At 34 or 35, you most likely end your profession as fast bowler however you can have 3 or 4 years left in T20 cricket since if you play Test cricket, you can stress out, get hurt and be less efficient.

“People will retire prematurely to pursue where the money is. That’s not a criticism at all but a sign of times and way the game has gone. I was 39 when I retired and it was Test cricket. That’s it,” Hadlee stated.

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