NEW DELHI: Indian captain
Rohit Sharma
believes that safeguarding the sanctity of
Test cricket
is a collective responsibility for every ICC member, as it continues to be the ultimate format in the sport.
Cricket South Africa's decision to include seven uncapped players, including the inexperienced Neil Brand, for the
New Zealand
tour to prioritise top stars for the lucrative
SA20
has garnered criticism.
Notably, all SA20 franchises are owned by IPL team owners, and this move to prioritise franchise cricket over Test cricket has drawn widespread disapproval.
“For me, Test remains the ultimate challenge and we would like to see the best players playing that format but everyone has their own problems to deal with and make sure there is a reason behind it,” Rohit reacted when asked about the CSA move in the pre-match presser in Cape Town.
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 everyday,” said the Indian skipper.
India's centrally contracted players aren't allowed to play any other T20 leagues and the
BCCI
doesn't slot international cricket in that phase.
“I feel we don't have such problems at this point of time,” he smiled.
When a journalist attempted to suggest that it's the responsibility of the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) to preserve Test cricket, the Indian captain responded that the onus doesn't lie solely on one or two nations but on all cricket-playing nations collectively.
This implies that the effort to uphold and promote Test cricket should be a shared responsibility across the international cricket community.
“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 and that is what people come to watch. That's everyone's responsibility,” he added.
(With PTI inputs)
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