subject: Dravid Backs Test Championship & Day-night Tests [print this page] Rahul Dravid delivered an amazing speech at the annual Sir Donald Bradman Oration for 2011 at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. The Indian batsmen covered a range of topics and made a strong point about why cricket needs to find a way to accommodate all three formats.
Newly appointed Rajasthan Royals captain, spoke about the cause Sir Donald Bradman had on him, and in fact, every Indian cricket fan while also insisted that the Indian cricket team is in fact, India itself, in microcosm. A sport that was played first by princes, then their subordinates, then the urban elite, is now a sport played by all of India, said Dravid.
Former Indian Captain, Rahul Dravid was the first player apart from Australians to deliver a at the event added the Indian cricket teams presents a view of the country itself with numerous languages and cultures. The previous decade, the Indian team has developed most into to dominate team, which represents more than ever before, the country they come from of people from vastly different cultures, who speak different languages, follow different religions, belong to all classes of society.
The Indian batting star, said that despite of variety he thoroughly enjoyed his period as the skipper of Indian team. Most foreign captains, think, would draw back at the idea. But, when he led India, enjoyed it and wondered at the range of difference and the ability of people from so many different backgrounds to share a dressing room, to accept, accommodate and respect that difference. In a world growing more insular, that is a precious quality to acquire, because it stays for life and helps you understand people better, understand the significance of the other.
The 38-year-ols, Dravid urged the ICC to look at the quantity of ODI cricket currently played, saying the mad merry-go-round of the current touring programmed must be scaled down. However, the batsman also described Test cricket as the gold standard, format of the game, saying it remained the most important for international cricketers. As Dravid backed Test Championship and Day-Night Tests.
Dravid insists on MCCs World Cricket Committee, which has played a significant role in promoting both the World Test Championship and the potential for day-night Tests. Indian Veteran player, the cricket world should fight for the preservation of the gold format of the game. He said test cricket deserves to be protected; it is what the worlds best know they will be judged by.
The second highest run getter in Tests added that people may not be able to turn up to watch Test cricket but everyone follows the scores. They may not fill 65,000 capacity stadiums for Test matches, but they should actively fight to get as many as we can in, to create a Test match environment that the players and the fans feed off. Earlier this year in Abu Dhabi, as MCC played their annual Champion County fixture as a day-night, pink-ball match for the second successive year. He feels that day-night Tests or a Test championship should be dismissed.
In March this year, Dravid played a day-night first-class game for MCC, and said obout his experience from that was that day-night Tests is an idea seriously worth exploring. There might be some challenges ahead playing day-night tests as there will be dew, and even the visibility and durability of the pink cricket ball was not an issue, said Dravid.
