The game would be losing something fundamental if we just watch T20 franchise stuff: Nasser Hussain
The game would be losing something fundamental if we just watch T20 franchise stuff. The administrators of cricket need to do a lot of thinking because the sport is experiencing an existential crisis on a scale that has never been seen before.
Breaks in play have become more common, and the proliferation of Twenty20 franchise leagues around the world is not helping the situation because it not only keeps players from participating in international cricket but also creates a monotonous environment for them to play in.
This is one of the reasons why some of the most prominent players in the game are either switching formats or playing less frequently at the highest level.
Quinton de Kock (Tests) and Ben Stokes (One-Day Internationals), two of the best players in the world across formats, hanging their boots in one of them put focus back on the grueling scheduling, but the World No. 1 ODI bowler Trent Boult letting go of the central contract completely for New Zealand opened the can of worms like never before.
Because Boult made the decision to spend more time with his family, other players are now able to become financially independent by playing for a couple of leagues throughout the world for a few months and then devoting the rest of their time to their families.
While the Indian Premier League, Pakistan Super League, Caribbean Premier League, and Big Bash League dominated the ICC’s Future Tours Programme, two new leagues emerged: one in South Africa and the other in the United Arab Emirates.
South Africa made the decision to not play in their One-Day International (ODI) series against Australia in order to focus on their new league, despite the fact that they were aware well in advance that this decision could jeopardise their direct qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in India.
It’s possible that De Kock, Stokes, and Boult are just the beginning of a trend in which many more cricket players may decide that playing in T20 leagues is a more appealing choice than playing for their country in any of the three formats of the game.
Nasser Hussain, a former captain of England, has expressed his disapproval of the current trend by stating that the sport would suffer a significant setback if players were forced to watch only Twenty20 franchise cricket for the rest of their lives. He believes that this would be detrimental to the game as a whole.
According to Nasser, who is working as a commentator for Sky Sports during the current English summer, having witnessed Test matches, T20 Blast, and now The Hundred, he has observed that there is a different audience for each of the three formats, and it is not the case that the format that lasts the longest is specifically losing its audience.
In his column for the Daily Mail, Nasser utilized a food comparison to illustrate his argument and drive it home. “In general, though, I believe that everything ought to have its proper place in the scheme of things. In my opinion, first-class county cricket is the appetizer, Test cricket is the main meal, and all of the white-ball stuff is the dessert because it is pleasurable and moreish.
Statements
“On the other hand, and this is a major but, you probably don’t want to spend the rest of your life eating pudding seven nights a week for dinner. And this is where the problem with the game lies, “he had written.
The man who is 54 years old stated that even if he is a member of the preceding generation, something has to change. “It’s possible that my answer is typical of people of my generation. But if the only format that we watch is Twenty20 franchise stuff, I think the game would be missing something basic if that were the case “he added.
Nasser made this statement while making a comparison between Kieron Pollard, who has retired from international cricket but continues to be a T20 globetrotter, and the young South African hard-hitter Tristan Stubbs, who walked off to a standing ovation after playing a 10-ball 27 in the Hundred having smashed his compatriot Tabraiz Shamsi for 4 consecutive sixes. He said that it’s not just the older players who retire through T20 cricket to make
“One area that gives rise to concern is the degree to which white-ball cricket is currently attracting players who are just beginning their professional careers. In the past, it was common practice for more seasoned players to cash in on their T20 experience, ride off into the sunset, and then hang up their cleats for good.
“It only takes ten balls and four sixes to become a box-office success and draw the attention of the IPL owners. If you are talented enough, there is a path that leads directly to producing a million dollars while you are still in the beginning stages of your career. I can’t say that I blame the players for going that route, “he further remarked.
One thing is certain, despite the fact that no one knows how things will turn out in the next six months, let alone over the course of a lifetime: decisions like Boult’s might not be the last of their kind, and Twenty20 cricket is here to stay, whether we like it or not.