Adelaide, Jan 19: In the modern era, shorter the format of cricket, the better it thrives.
Fans, sponsors, advertisers, broadcasters and many stakeholders associated with the game of cricket, are keen to have more and moreT20 games.
The demand for even Ten10 and Hundred-balls aside matches seem to be increasing. Because there are more takers for those smaller versions of the game, than Test and 50-over games.
With so much craze for shorter white-ball matches, the traditional five-day Test matches definitely face existence problem.
But introduction of World Test Championships have been of some help. More importantly, the big three (India, Australia and England) cricket boards too seem to be taking more interest in the red-ball format.
There has been lot of suggestions for continuance or modification of 50-over ODIs and Test cricket by former players, coaches, experts and fans.
With Australia winning the first Test in Adelaide in just three days against West Indies, a few former players and prominent cricket thinkers have suggested that better funds management and distribution, can help Test and ODI cricket regain their old popularity or craze.
Joining that long list is Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) CEO Todd Greenberg.
He said the International Cricket Council (ICC) members need to ensure the money allotted for funds is sent in the right areas, so that the present and future of Test cricket remains secured.
His comments come after the first Test between Australia and the West Indies at the Adelaide Oval got over inside three days, with the hosts’ winning by ten wickets. With a growing divide between Australia, India and England and between other nations, concerns have been raised over Test cricket’s future.
“I don’t think there’s a revenue problem in global cricket, I think where the problem exists is the distribution of that revenue and then the prioritization of where that revenue is distributed and spent.”
“Whether that’s in formats or globally in certain countries. I think there’s plenty of money in cricket, I mean the ICC’s global revenue is higher than it’s ever been in the game’s history, so clearly the game is in a great place,” said Greenberg on SEN Radio.
A revamped ICC revenue-distribution model approved in 2023 saw the BCCI take almost 40 per cent of the ICC’s annual net earnings in the four-year commercial cycle, reportedly up to nearly 230 million USD dollars. None of the other 11 full members of the ICC have a double-digit share in revenue.
“We’ve got to make sure the money is allocated to the right areas so that in the future, red-ball cricket and Test cricket continues and thrives, not just in the big three – India, England and Australia – but in other parts of the world so we can see places like Pakistan, South Africa, West Indies, Sri Lanka and other places continue to play red-ball cricket and ensure that survives not just for our generation, but the next generation,” added Greenberg. (With IANS support)
