‘Test cricket remains ultimate challenge and we need to protect it’

CAPE TOWN: Indian captain Rohit Sharma feels that it is each and every ICC member’s duty to protect the sanctity of Test cricket as it remains the ultimate format.

Cricket South Africa selected seven uncapped players, including an inexperienced first timer Neil Brand, for the upcoming tour of New Zealand to accommodate top stars for the SA20, which is coinciding with the Test series. All the SA20 franchises are owned by IPL team owners and the move to prioritize franchise cricket has earned widespread criticism.

“For me, Tests remains ultimate challenge and we would like to see best players playing that format but everyone has own problems to deal with and make sure there is a reason behind it,” Rohit reacted when asked about the CSA move.

But he was clear that he always wants top players to play Tests.

“I don’t know what the reason is (for SA not picking senior players) and in Test cricket you want to see best players being available but like I said I don’t know what internal discussions are in CSA but from my perspective, the priority should be given to Test cricket. It’s a challenge that you face every day,” said the Indian skipper.

India’s centrally contracted players aren’t allowed to play any other T20 leagues and BCC doesn’t slot international cricket in that phase.

“I feel we don’t have such problems at this point of time,” he smiled.

But when a scribe tried to draw a conjecture that it is BCCI’s responsibility to save Test cricket, the skipper replied that onus is not on one or two nations but on all.

“Test Cricket is something that we all have to protect and it’s not just one or two countries’ responsibility but all who are playing, keep it nice and entertaining.

“Around the world, you can see some solid Test cricket being played and you have seen results everywhere and competitive cricket being played, so it’s everyone’s duty to ensure it stays nice and healthy. That’s everyone’s responsibility,” he added.

It’s not an ideal situation: Elgar

With nothing to lose on the eve of his final international outing, Dean Elgar didn’t hold back while expressing his disgust about Cricket South Africa sending a third-string squad to New Zealand under an uncapped captain just because the series is coinciding with the SA20.

It is a situation the 36-year-old Elgar, the stand-in captain for the second and final Test against India at Newlands, termed as “not ideal.”

“I still think Test cricket will have a future and in speaking to the younger guys in the dressing room, they still live for the format,” Elgar said on Tuesday during his last pre-match conference.

“The situation we’ve been put in from a cricketing fraternity perspective isn’t ideal and maybe the team that’s selected to go to New Zealand isn’t ideal for the conversation of how I see Test cricket,” Elgar was straightforward in his observations.