"Where Do You End?" Virat Kohli Makes Passionate Case Against Four-Day Tests
Virat Kohli said that while changes like day-night Tests can help pull more crowds, the longest format of the game should not be tinkered with too much.
Highlights
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The ICC is mulling the idea of converting Tests into four-day affairs
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Virat Kohli strongly opposed the idea, saying the intent won't be right
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He said the "purest form of the game" shouldn't be tinkered with too much
Team India captain Virat Kohli took a firm stance against the International Cricket Council's proposal of converting Test matches into four-day affairs. "According to me, it should not be altered. As I said, the day-night is another step towards commercialising Test cricket and you know, creating excitement around it, but it can't be tinkered with too much. I don't believe so," the No.1-ranked Test batsman told reporters ahead of India's first T20 International (T20I) against Sri Lanka in Guwahati.
Kohli said that while changes like Day-Night Tests help attract more crowds, it would be unfair to the format to tinker too much and reduce the number of days.
"Then you are purely only talking about getting numbers, entertainment and you know. I think the intent will not be right then because then you will speak of three-day Tests. I mean where do you end. Then you will speak of Test cricket disappearing," he said.
"So I don't endorse that at all. I don't think that is fair to the purest format of the game. How cricket started initially, and you know five-day Tests was the highest of tests you can have at the International level," the Indian skipper added.
Kohli kept with his stance of being a purist, reiterating his decision to not be part of the England Cricket Board's 100-ball format.
"T20 was a revelation (in terms) of introduction of a new format. I was asked about the 100-ball format and I said I am not going to go and try myself out in another kind of format because there's already so much going on," he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
Virat Kohli