Australian legend Steve Waugh praised T20 cricket for attracting new fans to the sport, who could later watch longer formats. However, he expressed concern that the rise of T20 leagues poses a “potential danger” to the survival of Test cricket.
Former Australian captain and batting legend Steve Waugh spoke on the impact of T20 cricket on the modern game, hailing it for bringing more fans to the sport, but raised concerns over the survival of Test cricket. Waugh, the owner of the Amsterdam franchise in the European T20 Premier League (ETPL), which starts this year in late summer, was speaking to ESPNCricinfo.
Waugh on T20’s Positive Impact
On being asked about the positives and negatives of T20 cricket in the modern game, Waugh said that it has brought more fans to the sport, who could go on to watch Test and ODIs if they like the format, therefore contributing to an increase in the audience of longer formats. “It has brought more people to the game of cricket. A lot of people who come to T20 have never seen the game before and have never been to a cricket match. So as soon as they get to T20, they go, “Yeah, this is fantastic.” And then they might actually progress to watching a one-day game or a Test match. So I think it’s actually increased the audience of Test matches because there are new people watching the game,” said Waugh in an interview with ESPNCricinfo.
Concerns Over Test Cricket’s Survival
However, Waugh pointed out the “potential danger of the format”, saying that it shortens the number of Test matches played due to so many league competitions coming. “That is why we want this [ETPL] to be a meaningful competition. It is not just a token gesture to support European cricket. This aims to be one of the best leagues in the world, if not the best T20 competition in the world. I mean, that is lofty ambition, but you have got to set your standards high,” he said.
The league is officially sanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and will witness franchises from associate teams like the Netherlands and Scotland and Test-playing nation Ireland, which has just started to gain its footing in international cricket in terms of fixtures. “Yeah, the danger… I want to make sure Test cricket survives. I am a Test cricket lover. My passion lies in Test cricket, although I enjoy watching T20 cricket. I want to see Test cricket survive and prosper as well,” he added.
‘I Would Have Loved the Challenge’: Waugh on Playing T20s
Waugh said that if he were playing T20s today, he would have been a “batting all-rounder”, pointing out how he switched from his natural and flamboyant game to a more stable game for the demands of his team. “Yeah, I would have loved the challenge because, you are right, when I was young, I was a very flamboyant player, but our Test side needed players like Allan Border to dig in because we were not a winning side when I first started playing. So that dictated the way I played the game and I modified my style. But if I played T20, I would like to think that I would be at the forefront of trying new shots and trying different slower balls. It would be great fun to play,” he added.
Waugh is Australia’s third-highest run-getter in international cricket, with 18,496 runs in 493 matches at an average of 41.65, with 35 centuries, including 10,927 runs in Test cricket with 32 centuries and 7,569 runs in ODIs with three centuries. He was also a capable right-arm pacer, with 287 wickets under his belt, with 195 of them coming in ODIs. (ANI)
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