‘It doesn't matter how entertaining T20s are': Gordon Greenidge on why Tests is the best form of cricket

Time of India

17-07-2025

Gordon Greenidge (TOI Photo)
London
: It's just before the Lord's Test, and
Gordon Greenidge
is seen casually mingling with the crowd — comprising mostly of people of Indian origin — during an event at a London hotel. Former India wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani, former England spinner Monty Panesar and former England batter David Lloyd are all present.
Greenidge, still looking largely like he did during the 1980s, stands out with his unassuming aura. It doesn't seem too long ago that he tormented bowlers around the world. He is asked if he is going to attend the Lord's Test. 'There are no tickets. Although I'm an MCC member, it's tough to get in these days,' he says, joking. 'I need to run from you. I don't do interviews.'
It's a charity event organised by Dr. Samir Pathak, who runs the 'Cricket Beyond Boundaries' initiative.
The initiative gives opportunities to promising Indian players to come to England, spend a summer in school and play cricket. India Test cricketer Sarfaraz Khan and Chennai Super Kings' Shaik Rasheed are two prominent names to have benefitted.
Moved by the initiative, Greenidge offers to auction his cooking skills. He proposes he will cook a pork dish, some veggies, rice, some chicken and a couple of sides for the highest bidder.
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Undo
The bid goes up to £2500. Greenidge will be cooking at the bidder's place. Once the banter with Kirmani and Lloyd is done on the stage, Greenidge is ready for a chat on Test cricket over dinner. He offers a disclaimer. 'I don't watch a lot of cricket now.
Some highlights, maybe.'
Excerpts from the conversation…
There are so many strong opinions about Test cricket. What do you make of the longest format's prospects?
I hope Test cricket remains. I hope it doesn't go the route that many are saying — that it is dead or dying. It would be a sad thing to know that Test cricket is going to be no more.
I think it's still very much alive.
But that's been the talk for 20 years...
It hasn't gone anywhere. It's still the best form of cricket. What is happening now is entertainment. It is the entertainment factor that has come back into this game, through the T20 format. Not to say that you're not entertained playing a Test match — of course, that happens too. But because of franchise cricket, people prefer to play the shorter version. And it'll be a sad day when Test cricket is finished.
Does that worry you?
Unfortunately, there are only two-three countries that are going to get the chance to play five-Test series — teams like India, Australia and England. But you know, I'm still a Test match player. I'll always be a Test match player and I'd always opt to have the Test match on the calendar. It doesn't matter how entertaining T20Is are, I will still want to see the Test match.
You talked about entertainment. When you took the cricket field, how did you see your role?
Yeah, we were all entertainers. That's the primary thing.
And there were times when teams scored just as fluently as in a T20. But no one complained when the tempo of the game slowed down because you have to give the bowlers credit as well. They bowl well sometimes and they get the better of you. Sometimes you have to find a formula to counter-attack what they're doing in order to survive and score runs. And that is the beauty about it.
You people were the pioneers of attacking batting. There's been so much spoken about 'Bazball' and aggressive batting styles in Test cricket…
Teams are scoring four, four-and-a-half runs per over at times in Test cricket.
So, you are telling me that you still would prefer to see a T20 game than what you saw? Tests are over a longer period.
I think it's also about how you view your own personal game. For me, it's nice if I'm able to build and formulate an innings because of the situation — whether it's the climate, the bowler or the surface you're playing on. But that is the beauty about the whole thing. You don't know what's coming. You have to be able to produce something in order to cope with all these things that confront you.
Do you believe that there's only one way to play Test cricket right now?
It's not the only way. But it's not sustainable. Dominant teams like West Indies in our time and then Australia — they all played very aggressive cricket, but it wasn't like how they play the game these days. Today they play the same way they play T20. We may have been aggressive, but not in the same manner as how they play T20 cricket.
Poll
Do you believe Test cricket is in danger of becoming obsolete?
Yes, it's dying out.
No, it will always have a place.
A player like Rishabh Pant gets a lot of flak for the way he plays Test cricket…
If it comes off, great. If it doesn't, I'm sure he and the rest of the team are going to be very disappointed.
It's the way he prefers to play and feels more at ease playing. When he came down and hit the guy (Ben Stokes) over the back of his head in a Test match at Headingley, the commentators were shocked. I think he was on naught. It was just amazing the way he plays. Some players are more courageous than others.
Do you need to rein them in sometimes?
What are you going to do if a guy like that is going to play differently and score runs? I think you'll want to watch him play and watch him play more often.
He's not going to do it all the time. There will be times he is going to fail. And I think he knows this as well.
Your generation of players went through Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket. There's this debate about franchise cricket taking precedence over international cricket…
(Interrupts) It's definitely not the same. When it comes to choosing franchise cricket, I understand that players make millions of dollars playing for less time around the world. That's why you need to have balance in Test cricket around the world.
Who's the last cricketer that you watched and you really liked?
Virat Kohli. I watched Pant. But I watched the highlights.
What is your fondest memory of playing cricket?
I liked playing in Adelaide. I mentioned New Zealand. I never played in South Africa. That's unfortunate. I've been in India, I love Bengaluru. Maybe I'd like to go back and visit.
Who's the last bowler that you thought would be fun to play?
Shane Warne. I never played against him. He intrigued me. What it must have been like facing him! I think he was probably the best spinner ever.
Gordon Greenidge stats
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