Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has advocated for introducing the two-tier system in the test format. He feels the relegation and promotion of teams will help the longest format to be alive and thrive in a T20-focused environment.
The concept sees the lowest-ranked teams from the higher division relegated to the lower division, while the best-ranked teams from the lower-division are promoted to the higher division. It has been effectively used in the County Championships since 2000, where the teams were divided into two divisions.
Shastri’s comments came after the hugely successful Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test between India and Australia in Melbourne. The game drew a record 373,691 spectators over the course of five days.
“To break crowd records that have stood for nearly a century… is testimony to the fact that when the best teams play, the toughest and best format of the game is still alive and thriving,” Shastri wrote in a column for The Australian.
According to Ravi Shastri, with the promotion-relegation system, two evenly matched teams will keep the crowd and cricket-watching audience on TV interested in what will unfold during the game.
“This match further emphasises why we need a two-tier system with the top six-eight teams and then include promotion and demotion. You will not get these kinds of crowds if you don’t have two proper teams playing.
“However, if you don’t create a two-tier system, you’ll continue to have unmatched teams up against each other and then it’s very unlikely they’ll be able to take a game into the fifth day.”
Ravi Shastri slams India for poor shot selection in MCG Test
Serving as commentator-cum-analyst for Star Sports, Ravi Shastri was critical of India not putting up a fight on the final day of the Melbourne Test.
After taking a wicket early to bundle out Australia for 234, the visitors were made to chase 340 against astrong Australian bowling attack. After the end of the first session, India was already three down, with veteran batters Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli back in the hut.
Although, Yashasvi Jaiswal (84) and Rishabh Pant (30) did well in the second session, the Indian team lost seven wickets in the final session to lose the game by 184 runs. Pat Cummins and Scott Boland picked up three wickets for the Australian team.
As per Shastri, the crowd would have been disappointed with India’s lack of application in the final session. He also feels the loss in Melbourne might keep India out of reach to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
In his column for The Daily Telegraph (Sydney), Shastri said:
“Unfortunately for them, some poor shot selection on either side of the middle session on the final day cost India the game. And probably has ensured that India may have lost their grip on the Border Gavaskar Trophy with one Test to go.”
