Twenty Twenty World Cup.....

After much contemplation, deliberation and initial non-compliance, India has agreed to play the Twenty20 World Cup next year. Sure, it would not have been a financial success without India in the fray, but is that the only reason India has agreed to be part of this event? For one, India has not played many matches of this version and has no real base to create a team from. At the outset, it does seem like a pocket version of the one-day game, but closer only scrutiny shall reveal the real requirements. So from the current crop, who will be fit enough (technically, mentally, skill-wise) to fit in the Indian team for a Twenty20 game?
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Sachin Tendulkar is a name that springs to mind. He can bat (well, yeah!), bowl a bit, field well. Check!
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M S Dhoni is another name that seems a certainty. He can bat with some rather imposing results; well suited to this format and he also solves the problem of a ‘keeper. Double check!
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Mohd. Kaif is a certainty more for his fielding and energy than batting. But he can bat too. And after the series he had in the West Indies, this is perhaps the only playing XI he will be making it to.
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Yuvraj Singh is another certainty. He can bat, bowl and is an exceptional fielder. Perhaps there also may be a case of trying him out as captain in the version… a litmus test of sorts for bigger things to come.
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Virender Sehwag is someone who may feel this game is tailored for his approach. And if he and Dhoni are sent to open, who knows what score may show up after 20 overs!
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Harbhajan Singh may be a good bowler, but his style of bowling may just be marauded. To be honest, that’s the plan for any style of bowling, but spin will suffer more! Still, he would be a handy fellow to have in the XI.These guys apart, one does feel that Rahul Dravid, Wasim Jaffer and some of the more ‘technically sound’ players may not make the cut. And although Dravid himself has advocated a place for this version on the domestic stage, he may not stay in the team beyond a few token games. But coming back to the original question as to why the Indian board did a volte-face on this issue and suddenly decided to align with the interests of the ICC (International Cricket Council) on the Twenty20 game, the only reason that comes to mind is money. So in an already packed international calendar, don’t be surprised to find a few of Twenty20 games tucked away somewhere. And one hopes this does not become the norm for playing at neutral venues, much like ODIs currently are. This format, however, will be a huge success with television audiences since the games would almost always be played to suit primetime viewing (watch out saas-bahu soaps!) and the ad revenues that are generated could just skyrocket. But in all this, aren’t we forgetting something? What happens to the real deal? Test Cricket. With already eroding techniques and temperaments thanks to ODIs, the quality of Test Cricket has suffered. Sure there are more results and result-oriented play, but at the cost of technique and planning. And with a second World Cup in place already (Twenty20 and the ODI), what significance does the current ranking system of the ICC hold? Every two years, the top-ranked team is handed the Test Championship trophy but unfortunately, this is not a spectacle since the result is often a foregone conclusion. So perhaps there is also reason to re-look at the ICC’s Future Tours programme. Maybe there is scope to spin off a 10-12 team World Test League mixing players from various countries for a 2-year period and then having a Test Match World Cup (of countries) at multiple venues over 4 or 6 months. Both events, mind you, would not be connected. At least then, it would be an event. Otherwise, it won’t be too long before the viewer can no longer bear the “long-drawn” 5-day affair and decides to give it a miss. The point is to give all these Tests and ODIs a purpose. More than just Twenty20 Cricket, perhaps there is also need for Twenty20 vision from local boards and more importantly, the ICC.