Crickalympics: Hardest, Furthest & Longest

So India crashed out of the Twenty20 cup. I am strangely unmoved by it. No tinge of embarassment. Its not that I dont like Twenty20. I was converted by the final stages of the IPL 2. Its just that its the format of cricket where hand eye co-ordination plays a more important role than the mind does. Thats not to say its brainless, but just as The Hobbit, a good book in its own right, isnt quite the same as the Lord of the Rings, Twenty20 isnt quite Test Cricket. Each has its own set of devotees and they are all correct in their opinion.

In favour of Twenty20

There is something magical about demolishing a bowling attack and nary is a young boy in india who hasnt dreamed of doing the same even before the advent of Twenty20. Some even managed to achieve it in real life. hark back to the sharjah cup and Sachin Tendulkar vs Australia. Jadeja vs Pakistan in the world cup or even Tendulkars domination of Warne over the years. The thrills of the IPL and twenty20 rolls all this into a neat little 3 hour package. About the same length as an average bollywood film but far from an average display of skill and ability.

The increased interest in the sport can only be a good thing which no one can deny and if Test Cricket was to survive the long term, it needs Twenty 20 to ensure it doesnt slip into an obscure form of colonial sport with quirky rules and shall we say, unusual hairstyles (Ryan Sidebottom, take a bow)!

The bowlers have come on in leaps and bounds since the first IPL (I say IPL because, in the Twenty20 world, IPL seems to supercede the World Cup). Whilst the first cup was about who can hit the hardest, furthest and longest, IPL2 seemed to focus on who can restrict and take wickets. The conditions obviously had a role to play too with the Sunny climes and batsman friendly pitches of India giving way to the seaming swinging bowler friendly environs of South Africa. This was on display as RP Singh et al made merry during the purple cap race. Allow me to digress and say Bowling and batting is no longer a quest of personal glory in a larger scheme of the teams well being but now also a sartorial contest. The less said about "Miss Bollywood" (is this a Shag Modi ruse?) and the ten minute ten over fag breaks, the better.

On the plus side, cricket has a new breed of followers. Thats good.

In favour of Test cricket

Yuvraj Singhs Six 6s notwithstanding, it still doesnt quite awe me as much as the VVSpecial innings against Australia or Steve Waughs numerous steely excusrsions. The mental strength, the physical endurance and the courage required for these innings far outweigh the smash and grab 20/20 efforts. The temperament required in the longer formats is quite different from those in the shorter versions and the magic of cricket lies in how the longer versions showcase the mental character of our willow wielding heroes. Its hard for a newcomer to grasp how people can play five days and still enjoy a draw. Thats because, the ability to recognise the effort required is acquired and cant be had overnight. Just as go karting is a showcase of driver ability, and Formula 1 is a demonstration of driving ability coupled with engineering superiority, Test cricket is more than a demonstration of Hand Eye co-ordination. Bowlers are far more aggressive and less concerned with containment. There are no powerplays or fielding restrictions. Its a different animal and the rules, as similar as they are, might as well be miles apart. In test cricket, the better side invariably wins.

There is more scope for the underdog in Twenty20 and the entertainment value is higher but then a hard fought victory is so much sweeter in Test Cricket. Even for us mortal spectators.