FORMER India captain Anil Kumble believes Twenty20 cricket helps, not hinders, the fortunes of the game at Test level. The quick thrills of the short form of the game are thought by many to detract from the traditional five-day format, but the veteran leg-spinner, speaking in South Africa where he is a guest of the national board, insists that Test cricket remains at the pinnacle of the sport.
“I have had the privilege of playing for India for a number of years and there is no doubt that the best form of the game remains the Test cricket format,” he said. “At the same time, T20 cricket has helped significantly to boost the image of the longer version of the game.”
He added: “Just a couple of years ago, 250 was a good score to post at the end of a day’s play in a Test match.
“Now, Virender Sehwag can score those runs in a single day’s play.
“It has certainly made the Test cricket offering more attractive.”
Kumble quit international cricket in 2008 after a glittering 18-year career that saw him take 619 Test wickets in 132 matches and also claim more than 300 one-day scalps.
He still plays 20-over cricket and will again be in the country next month when he captains the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Champions League Twenty20. (Eurosport)