Don't need the pink ball to save Test cricket: Virender Sehwag

Kolkata, Oct 3: Former India opener Virender Sehwag on Sunday (Oct 2) said there was no need for innovations like introduction of the pink ball to draw the spectators for Test matches as people will automatically come to the ground when good teams take the field.

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Averring that it was every young cricketer's dream to represent his country in Tests, Sehwag said the longest format of the game poses the real test for a player.

"The Test format is very good. There is no need to change. You don't need to introduce the pink ball to draw the spectators.

"If good teams like Pakistan, Australia and England come, people will come to the ground automatically and support," Sehwag said while participating at a panel discussion on the occasion of the Sportstar's book launch on India's 500 Tests.

He said the future was bright for Test cricket in India. "This I can say, looking at the coach and the Indian team.

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"The real test for any cricketer lies in Test cricket. It is every young cricketer's dream to play Test matches. The future is good," he said.

India head coach Anil Kumble, who also took part in the panel discussion, called upon cricket buffs, and stakeholders to desist from discussing the "death" of Test cricket.

"I'll urge every cricket lover, opinion makers and various stakeholders to stop discussing the death of Test cricket. I'm sure people would have spoken about the death of Test cricket probably even during the times of Kerry Packer," he said.

Sehwag said though the Test format is facing challenges with youngsters now growing up watching T20, the present bunch of players love Test cricket.

In this context, he spoke for the need of globalisation of Test cricket.

He said though the match attendance might have gone down in Tests, its supporters has gone up with the arrival of the social media.

"The social media is a great platform to promote Test cricket. You don't need to sit through six hours. There's notification on smartphones through which you can follow Test cricket," he said, exuding his conviction that Test cricket would survive.

"If all of us keep on talking about the death of Test cricket, then ultimately it would happen," he said.

The Sportstar also announced a Dream Team of 15 led by Anil Kumble.

The team: Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Vijay Hazare, VVS Laxman, Kapil Dev, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Anil Kumble (captain), Zaheer Khan, Vinoo Mankad, Bishan Bedi, Erapalli Prasanna, Javagal Srinath and Virat Kohli.

IANS