Former India cricketer Javagal Srinath has recently come forward and urged youngsters and aspiring cricketers to give as much time as possible to the longest format of the game.
Present at the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association’s Season Awards 2025-26 at the Brilliant Convention Centre, Srinath opened up on a plethora of topics.
Interacting with the media at the event, Srinath talked about the impact that the IPL (Indian Premier League) has had on the players but urged the aspiring cricketers not to let the glamour of the IPL sway them away from Test cricket, which should remain relevant.
“IPL is important, but you need depth in cricket. I mean, 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. So, I am saying, stick to Test cricket… the longer version of the game. Alongside that, you can also play T20,” Srinath told PTI.
Srinath opened up on the business of cricket as well
Furthermore, Javagal Srinath gave his take on the business of cricket and how the sport cannot be sold. He opined that the academies need to focus more on the talents that they have and not focus so much on the investments and the business aspect of it, as it goes on to eventually harm the talent.
“I see a lot of things happening. Cricket cannot be sold… it has to be coached. I understand there is a certain amount of investment that is done by the academies and all of that, and that is fine. But if cricket is sold, then talent will be harmed. So, that is something we need to look at,” he added.
Speaking of Test cricket, the Indian team is currently in the middle of a two-game Test series against Sri Lanka. Having won the first Test of the series, team India is on the brink of a win in the second Test, and it could be interesting to see how the side fares on day 5 of the second Test.