Gillespie - Test cricket is on it's last legs

[silentstriker]

In fairness, though, hasn't Test cricket always been relatively poorly attended in India, aside from in 2001 perhaps?

No! I remember very healthy attendances not too long ago, I'll go see if I can find some data. And even if it hasn't decreased (and it certainly has, no way 200 people would attend a Test in, say, 1985, or India would never have become a Test playing nation) the issue is that now that there is a choice, the relative paucity of interest in Tests will spell its doom. Before, there was no other choice. Now, if the BCCI play zero Tests, they would be many times more profitable (FC system is a huge money sinkhole, generates ZERO income, its not even televised).

 

[Uppercut]

Can't believe they only allowed five-day tickets for one of the Australia tests. What an error. It's crazy that someone can make such an obvious and awful balls-up and not get fired/shot.

 

[Top_Cat]

I just don't see what's happened to the crowds, mate. We know that ODI's have been ssell-outs in India.for years. And presumably there's not been an increase in the capacity of stadiums and in the same time, India's population has increased. So you have many, many more people wanting to see cricket at stadiums with the same capacities. So if Tests were heavily attended years ago and aren't now, where on Earth did all these people go? I'm assuming we haven't seen a massive increase in Ranji Trophy attendees to get their cricket fix...

 

[silentstriker]

They've switched to ODIs and T20. I have no idea. And as I said, even if the attendance has remained static, which if you saw the last series, you'd know it hasn't, we'd still have the huge issue.

Think about it, for the first forty years of India's Test status, there were only Tests. The game would not have survived with 100 people in the stands. ODI's did not get big in India until the 1983 World Cup win. I'll try to find the exact data on attendance. India holds the record for the highest attended Test in history, with 465,000 people in 1998-1999 against Pakistan.

 

[silentstriker]

It doesn't help though that the little ****s in charge of the BCCI have blacklisted the best ground in India in terms of cricket interest, history and attendance - Eden Gardens, just because of their petty little political dispute.

 

[Precambrian]

I just don't see what's happened to the crowds, mate. We know that ODI's have been ssell-outs in India.for years. And presumably there's not been an increase in the capacity of stadiums and in the same time, India's population has increased. So you have many, many more people wanting to see cricket at stadiums with the same capacities. So if Tests were heavily attended years ago and aren't now, where on Earth did all these people go? I'm assuming we haven't seen a massive increase in Ranji Trophy attendees to get their cricket fix...

As the incomes have increased, so have responsibilites and general comforts. I know many people who used to bunk offices to catch test cricket. Now noone does.

 

[Top_Cat]

It doesn't help though that the little ****s in charge of the BCCI have blacklisted the best ground in India in terms of cricket interest, history and attendance - Eden Gardens, just because of their petty little political dispute.

Yeah that wouldn't help, that's for sure. I didn't know about that.

It astounds me. India have never been more competitive away from home, a bonefide contender for 2nd of 3rd top side in the world. And yet, people are switching off.

 

[aussie]

It doesn't help though that the little ****s in charge of the BCCI have blacklisted the best ground in India in terms of cricket interest, history and attendance - Eden Gardens, just because of their petty little political dispute.

word out, thats crazy mate. Thats a super ground especially when packed the atmosphere there in the famous 01 test & when England played an ODI there in 01 also was fantastic even from the the TV.

I tell ya haha, them BCCI cats be on a straight wack job routine yo..

 

[silentstriker]

Yeah that wouldn't help, that's for sure. I didn't know about that.

It is to punish Dalmiya, whose regime was replaced by the current one.

 

[G.I.Joe]

The competitiveness outside India has coincided with a relative loss of invincibility at home though (compared to the 90s).

I think a major reason for the lack of attendance in tests is simply that the Indian consumer is more aware now. Test cricket will never attract the family audiences at the ground the way ODIs and T20s do, unless facilities at the ground improve considerably. There is no way I'm going to even consider taking my family to watch a day of test cricket here. India is a hot country, the facilities at the stadia are downright ridiculous for the most, public announcement systems are a joke, carrying even a bottle of water or a camera inside is banned, and I'm not going to be the one to answer to my family what was th point of sitting through 7 hours for a no-result.

ODIs attract huge crowds simply because you're guaranteed a result, you're guaranteed 5 runs an over, your family can follow whats happening, and it helps that half the game is played in the evening when it gets cooler. Besides, a majority of ODIs in India seem to be held in the nooks and crannies which seldom get any cricket. An ODI there might be the only international cricket they get in 2 years, and they pack the stadium full as a result.

T20s are even better for the spectators, its a good spectacle, the length of a movie, the organisation at the IPL was much much better than it usually is, and is played almost completely under lights. Why slave in the kitchen over a 3 course meal when you can order take-away?

It is one thing to have never attended a test In India and then bemoan the lack of attendance. It is entirely another thing to have attended a test match day under the hot sun. It is truly an eye opening experience. Test cricket attendance in India will not improve unless the stadia improve, or the product improves (try explaining to your mum why it was worth it coking in the heat through a session of an 8-1 field). The consumer wants bang for his buck, a format that is unscripted does not guarantee the experience he wants in return for sacrificing 7 hours of his time. The BCCI seriously needs to look at all-weather, roofed indoor stadiums. Until then, I'll take the air-conditioned room and the excellent television coverage anyday, thank you. Who watches 5 days of a home test nowadays, anyway? Don't people have a life and a career?

 

[Precambrian]

^^^^ GI Joe's post sums up 90% Indians mindset abt cricket.

With the increase in income, luxuries have come, and TV being one of those, (thought it's become a necessity). Why trundle off to the stadium, sweat for hours, when you can catch it easily on a sofa in the cool comfort of home?

 

[Top_Cat]

Hard to argue with it.

 

[BoyBrumby]

But is it actually hurting Test cricket interest? I am not convinced. People already complain about too much cricket. Most people simply don't tune in, but there is plenty of other cricket to see.

If you are talking about extinction of Test cricket due to things like ODI and T20, then the type of fan you have to focus on is the one that follows IPL, and not Tests. You can't get away from talking about that 'casual' fan, when in this discussion. The problem is, that fan doesn't watch India-Australia, so it doesn't matter if Bangladesh are on or not. If Bangladesh stop playing all Tests, they still won't watch India-Australia.

IPL's TV rating was seven times higher than India-Australia Test series. It's those fans,that advertisers shell out money for, that will decide the future. And the Bangaldesh issue is irrelevant to them. Frankly, all Test cricket is irrelevant to them, and I'm not sure what would change that.

Even if tests involving Bangladesh aren't hurting test cricket, I think it's fair to say they aren't helping either.

I agree with your point about casual fans, their dollar is worth the same as yours or mine; so if the ICC or BCCI or whoever has any pretensions into making even a few of the casual fans into fans of the longer form it's in everyone's best interests to be peddling a superior product. If shown a test involving Bangladesh a casual fan might well wonder what all the fuss was about.

I'm not suggesting the battle can be won and it may already be lost, but it's surely better to give tests the best chance they can possibly have? If the longest form is too lose its primacy it will at least go down fighting and we die hards will see better cricket as a result.

 

[Furball]

McGrath: $300,000
Sharma: $900,000

Hopefully, after the initial idiocy, the player's value will be based on their talents and what they bring to the field.

An ageing (albeit legendary) bowler who last played international cricket a year before the first IPL, with no guarantees that he'll still be playing next year, or a rising young Indian star who has the marketability to go with it.

No brainer as to why Sharma went for more than McGrath. Certainly, Ishant was massively over-priced, but $900,000 could look like a very sound investement in 2 years' time.

 

[Top_Cat]

An ageing (albeit legendary) bowler who last played international cricket a year before the first IPL, with no guarantees that he'll still be playing next year, or a rising young Indian star who has the marketability to go with it.

No brainer as to why Sharma went for more than McGrath. Certainly, Ishant was massively over-priced, but $900,000 could look like a very sound investement in 2 years' time.

Already is, tbh.

 

[Rant0r]

i must admit i don't go to the grounds, but i can sit and watch test cricket all day on the box or listen to it on the radio and get more of a kick out of it than any McCricket, but maybe i'm old fashioned

 

[Precambrian]

Whoever thought test cricket is dead, atleast in the subcontinent should have been to Chennai ground the last 3 days.

 

[Jono]

I just don't see what's happened to the crowds, mate. We know that ODI's have been ssell-outs in India.for years. And presumably there's not been an increase in the capacity of stadiums and in the same time, India's population has increased. So you have many, many more people wanting to see cricket at stadiums with the same capacities. So if Tests were heavily attended years ago and aren't now, where on Earth did all these people go? I'm assuming we haven't seen a massive increase in Ranji Trophy attendees to get their cricket fix...

More people have access to TVs in their own home than two decades ago. That gives them an alternative to sitting in ****ty conditions all day.

I don't blame them. I wouldn't spend my hard earned money so sit in some of those stadiums all day in the burning sun.

An Indian cricket fan's 'passion' has its limits. Particularly when it hits the hip-pocket.

 

[Top_Cat]

More people have access to TVs in their own home than two decades ago. That gives them an alternative to sitting in ****ty conditions all day.

I don't blame them. I wouldn't spend my hard earned money so sit in some of those stadiums all day in the burning sun.

An Indian cricket fan's 'passion' has its limits. Particularly when it hits the hip-pocket.

I'm sure you're right which surely would make a decent case for night Tests then.

 

[pup11]

Anyways i think test cricket during the last fortnight has pretty much stood up and answered all its doubters like Gillespie in style, test cricket rulezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz........!!