By: ManjuChandran
Former Sri Lanka left-arm spinner Rangana Herath on Thursday said that Tests should remain a five-day affair.
The Cricket Committee of the International Cricket Council will be discussing the proposal of four-day Tests at the end of the month in Dubai.
Herath joined the bandwagon of former and present players preferring five-day Tests over the proposed four days.
“I believe if you have to test a player’s skill, you have to have five days. You can test them physically, technically and mentally. I am sure if you can play for five days, you are a complete package. I believe test cricket should be five days,” he said.
Herath also backed the World Test Championship, saying it was needed to keep the interest of players alive in the longer-version of the game.
“That (World Test Championship) is very important and we need to have that kind of a concept. Now especially the T20s and one-days have more competition, so when you play Test cricket, you need to have to that kind of interest (especially for) the players to play.” The 41-year-old Herath took 433 wickets in 93 Tests.
Despite their 0-2 drubbing in New Zealand, India continue to top the WTC table with 360 points. Australia are on the second spot with 296 points and New Zealand are placed third with 180 points.
Herath along with former Sri Lanka players Romesh Kaluwitharana and Farveez Maharoof, unveiled the Sri Lanka Legends jersey for ”Road Safety World Series”, which begins at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.
The former left-arm spinner also said that Sri Lanka must show consistency in their performance.
“The only thing with which I am concerned is consistency. We (Sri Lanka) have been doing well, we won the Test series in South Africa, we lost against New Zealand at home, we did well with the ODI team against West Indies, we lost yesterday (in T20 against West Indies).
“We have to have consistent performances. We need to rebuild the team,” he noted.
(PTI)
