By MATTHEW JONES
FORMER Australian Test cricket captain Ian Chappell and former Australian Test player and selector John Benaud have dismissed claims by England Twenty20 captain Paul Collingwood that future cricketers will put IPL Twenty20 cricket ahead of Test cricket.
“I don’t see IPL as a problem,” Chappell said. “Where it would be a problem is if a 20-year-old Ricky Ponting who was about to step into the Australian side was saying I’m not so bothered about Test cricket, I’m going to concentrate on Twenty20.”
Benaud said, “If Collingwood sees Twenty20 as a threat to Test cricket then I think he’s dreaming,” Benaud said.
Twenty20’s influence on Test cricket has already taken effect. West Indies aptain Chris Gayle came under attack for arriving from IPL in South Africa just two days before the Test series against England was to begin at Lords. Gayle also said he didn’t care if Test cricket died.
Chappell said, “To me you can’t have players like Chris Gayle, who leave IPL to get to England to play in a Test Match two days later. It’s not fair on the country that produced that player.”
Benaud could not hide his anger when asked about Gayle’s actions.
“What a tragic commentary on the once great West Indian game — a captain who couldn’t be bothered turning up for the start of the current Test series until the last moment,” Benaud said.
Cricket legend Shane Warne, along with most players has called for the International Cricket Council to make a place in its schedule for IPL. Chappell agrees.
“Something’s got to be done with the programming so that the IPL is played as a stand-alone tournament, so that the players aren’t having to choose between playing IPL and something else,” Chappell said.
Test cricket has been unrivaled as cricket’s pinnacle since the first Test Match between Australia and England in 1877. Twenty20 cricket has quickly captured the world’s attention and is here to stay. But Ian Chappell is certain that the best young players will still consider Test cricket as their ultimate goal.
“I don’t think it’s going to happen very often [players choosing IPL over Test cricket] and anyone who does take that approach basically says to me that I don’t have a lot of confidence in my ability to be a Test match player,” he said. “Anybody who believes is good enough to do that, I don’t believe is going to take that option [IPL], certainly not at the moment.”
