“If a player wants to play for 15 years, they have to play Test cricket”: Javagal Srinath

Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], August 27 (ANI): Former Indian cricketer Javagal Srinath had an important word of advice for young players, encouraging them to take Test cricket more seriously if they want a longer career in sports.

Srinath was speaking to the media on the occasion of the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Awards (MPCA) in Indore on Thursday.

Speaking to the media, Srinath called Test cricket the “mother of all cricket”, encouraging youngsters to take the format more seriously, saying that someone who can play the longer format finds it easy to play T20s.

Srinath said, “IPL is important, but you need depth in cricket, which is there in Tests. Test cricket is a five-day format, which is why it is called the ‘mother of all cricket.’ A player who plays Test cricket can also find it easier to play T20 cricket, but for someone who only plays T20 cricket, playing Test cricket is not as easy. Stick to Test cricket, the longer version of the game. Alongside that, you can also play T20,” he said.

Srinath also said that it is natural for youngsters to get attracted to the IPL due to all the money and glamour attached to it, but if a player wants to play consistently for 15 years, they have to play Test cricket since they could face rotation in T20s.

“It is natural (to get attracted to the IPL). There is more glamour and all of it. Parents, state associations, coaches, etc should guide their children regarding their cricket. If you want to make it a profession for 15 years, you have to play Tests. You get rotated really quickly in T20s,” he said.

Srinath represented India in 67 Tests from 1991 to 2002, taking 236 wickets at an average of 30.49, with 10 five-wicket hauls and a ten-fer, with best figures of 8/86. He is India’s 10th-highest wicket-taker in Tests.

He also played 229 ODIs for India, taking 315 wickets at an average of 28.08, with three five-wicket hauls and best figures of 5/23. He is India’s second-highest wicket-taker in ODIs and the highest wicket-taker amongst Indian pacers in the 50-over format.

In 296 international matches, he has taken 551 wickets in 296 matches at an average of 29.11, with 13 five-fors and a ten-fer and is the seventh-highest wicket-taker for India. (ANI)