The West Indies captain, Chris Gayle, has spoken out over the last few days about his views on Test Cricket. He feels that the Twenty20 format will become more important than Tests to him.
I cannot believe that a West Indian captain could say such a thing. How will his players feel about the test that starts today? Their motivation must be so low if the captain feels this way.
Now don't get me wrong; I think Twenty20 has been a breath of fresh air that has done much to raise the profile of the game. And i realise that the huge sums of money on offer to players who take part in tournaments like the Indian Premier League are hard to ignore.
I also think that one-day cricket is a good format. The 50-over game is the correct one, rather than 40-overs, and this is the form that needs to be played in the County game.
But 4 and 5 day cricket matches are the pinnacle of the sport. This is where players hone their skills and make a name for themselves.
Does the West Indian captain really believe that these forms of cricket should be abandoned to be replaced by roadshows of Twenty20 competitions? Or is he just disillusioned with the game. He has always been a very laid-back individual. Maybe he has become bored with all the things that come with it.
Of the captaincy he said: "It's definitely not something I'm looking to hang on to. I need some time for myself, to be honest with you, it's a lot of travelling. There's always something you have to go and do, you know, extra.
"Lunch or dinner, some other thing, there's always something for the captain."
I know that cricket in the West Indies has been struggling for a while now, but surely the captain has to exude confidence and enjoyment for his whole team and indeed for his country.
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