You can't just have the 'Big Three' playing Test cricket: Graham Gooch

The Hindu

4 days ago

Batting great Graham Gooch reckons that the fiercely fought five-match series between India and England is exactly the impetus that the "under-pressure" Test format needs, but fears that the existing trend of just the "big three" engaging more with each other will eventually lead to boredom and stagnation.
The majority of Test cricket is contested between India, England, and Australia, who play each other in a five-match series. The financially weaker countries, including the West Indies, South Africa and New Zealand, only take part in two or three-match series.
Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of the fifth and final Test here, the former England captain said Test cricket has to flourish beyond the "big three".
"I think the ICC needs to look at Test cricket and need to look at how they can support the less financially well-off countries. I won't say smaller countries, but less financially (well off)," Gooch said.
"Because you've got to preserve Test cricket. You can't just play three teams. If other teams, like New Zealand, West Indies, South Africa, play less and less Test cricket, no one will have anyone to play against. So they've got to support the game on a whole," said the 72-year-old who is the third highest run getter for England with 8900 Test runs.
With India and England pushing each other to the limit over the course of the five games, Gooch could not be more pleased with the cricket on display and also the tension that the close games have generated.
"It's been an amazing series and really, really good for Test Cricket. Because we know that franchise cricket is all over the place in the world and Test cricket is under pressure.
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"So a series like this with a lot of intrigue, a lot of quality cricket, a lot of big runs being scored, great bowling sessions, and tension, a little bit of needle in the game sometimes, which I don't mind actually.
"And there's been a lot of passion on show from both teams. I think it's been fantastic," said Gooch.
One door closes, another opens
The accumulator of close to 45,000 first-class runs, Gooch said he always expected India to compete hard despite the apparent inexperience of the line-up following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
"Look, one door closes, another one opens. You can't expect, great players or any players to play on forever. There is a time when they decide that they've had enough or come to retirement or whatever.
"Those two players you mentioned, have been wonderful servants for India and for our great game. It's time for other people to step in. I think the young Indian players have done brilliantly.
'The captain (Shubman Gill) has been outstanding. He looks a real class act with the willow and hopefully he'll get many, many more Test runs and get many victories for India in the future. So I think the team's in good hands,' he said.
Gill most impressive India batter
Questions were raised over Shubman Gill's underwhelming record in SENA countries but he has answered them emphatically with 754 runs, only 20 short of an all-time series record by an Indian, held by Sunil Gavaskar.
Gooch doesn't see any technical issue in Gill's batting and is also impressed with his temperament.
"The captain's an outstanding player. I think his technique is superb. His concentration and his temperament over this series has been brilliant.
"...you've got to remember that your job, or his job, is to score runs. He's not put in the team just to be captain. He's in the team to score runs," he said.
England's over-dependence on Stokes
An injured Ben Stokes not playing the final Test hampered England's bowling capabilities, also exposing their over-reliance on the charismatic captain, feels Gooch.
"Stokes, to me, has been a phenomenon this season. I mean, he's a key player for England because he balances the side. If he doesn't play, England have to go a batsman down.
"And if they go a batsman down, we're not good enough to have four bowlers. We need five bowlers. To have a four-bowler bowling attack, in my opinion, you need two world-class bowlers. And England don't have that at the moment.
"Stokes has been outstanding and he's been our best bowler. The minor concern has been the other bowlers," said the former top-order batter.
Stokes, Siraj have similar spirit
Gooch also found similarities between Stokes and Mohammed Siraj, who both bowled long spells in the series without worrying about their bodies.
"Siraj, I've got a lot of time for him. Very passionate, puts it in every time. And Ben Stokes is a similar sort of character. When he walks across the white line, he empties the tank. You understand what I mean by that. He doesn't leave anything behind. He gives it everything," said Gooch.
Gooch all for on-field tensions
In the end, Gooch spoke in favour of on field tensions that have been constantly witnessed in the series.
"There's a lot of passion in international cricket when you're playing against a country, when the series is very competitive and very tight. And sometimes, tempers flare a little bit and things are said that maybe you regret.
"But, it all happens in the spur of the moment. And I think it's two teams going very hard at each other and trying to win the game. I don't think it's carried on afterwards,' he added.