T20 has revitalized cricket, but Tests are undisputed kings: Gilchrist

SYDNEY - Former Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist has said that while Twenty20 cricket has revitalized the sport, Test match cricket will continue to be the undisputed king.

Speaking at function held at the Bradman Museum here, Gilchrist said: “I feel Twenty20 is helping cricket. It is a positive part of the cricket program now. As far as killing off Test cricket I just don’t see that yet.”

“I think there is a passive love of Test cricket. We might not have the time to sit down and watch five days, but everyone follows it. I think people are starting to understand that cricket can mutate into different formats without losing its basic fundamentals and constitution. One format is pure entertainment, but the traditional format is still there and you can have fans of each area,” he added.

Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar said: “I’m really excited by the T20 format because it has generated interest in quarters in India where there wasn’t that much interest in cricket.”

“Women, for instance. Some elderly ladies simply weren’t interested in the game. Now with T20 they are starting to watch it and then moving to Test cricket,” he added.

Gilchrist said the three-hour form of cricket had its place but it will always be Test cricket and its rivalries, like the Ashes, that are at the heart of the game. (ANI)