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It's taken a Jacques Kallis, Wisden's Leading Cricketer of the Year, to finally mention IPL and ICL in the same breath. His team, Bangalore Royal Challengers, might be struggling in the tournament, but a day after losing yet another game - this time to the Delhi Daredevils - Kallis was all praise for India's new T20 leagues.
"The IPL and (rebel) ICL will turn out (to be) immensely beneficial for Indian cricket. It's giving their younger players, some of whom have yet to establish themselves in even domestic cricket, a chance to rub shoulders with icons of the game in dressing rooms. It's an immense advantage. If this had happened when I was younger I would have benefitted immensely," he said.
The all-rounder, however, was at a loss to explain what, apart from money, the established stars of the game were gaining. "The crowds have been very good," was all Kallis mustered, before the astute observer in him took over: "I think T20 is the future of cricket. At three hours, it's even shorter than a baseball game. But I honestly don't know how long the One-day format will survive."
Kallis has been a vocal critic of player burnout and the ICC's frenzied Future Tours Programme, but on Thursday it was his SA and Bangalore team-mate Mark Boucher who took up the cause, saying: "The IPL is huge even in SA. This tournament needs to be on schedule. I've seen quite a few ICC officials here who agree the tournament is an unqualified success. If so, they need to make it good for the players. Maybe the ICC and the player unions can sit down for a chat."
We're not a Test team: Dravid
Stung by four losses in five games and a team boasting of Test stalwarts who have struggled to adapt, Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Rahul Dravid said his team would have to recoup to bounce back in the IPL. Pointing out that the squad had been unlucky so far - they lost to Team Chennai by 13 runs and to Delhi Daredevils by 10 - Dravid said, "I think we lack the X-factor. I don't agree we're a Test team in T20 clothing.
“We almost pulled it off against Chennai and Delhi. I think our fifth bowler is giving away too many runs. Misbah-ul Haq is also waiting, he will also get a game." Backing his skipper, Kallis said: "Leading a side in T20 is the most difficult job because you have no time to react. Our openers haven't clicked. It's frustrating. But Dravid is as good as anyone I've played under."
"The IPL and (rebel) ICL will turn out (to be) immensely beneficial for Indian cricket. It's giving their younger players, some of whom have yet to establish themselves in even domestic cricket, a chance to rub shoulders with icons of the game in dressing rooms. It's an immense advantage. If this had happened when I was younger I would have benefitted immensely," he said.
The all-rounder, however, was at a loss to explain what, apart from money, the established stars of the game were gaining. "The crowds have been very good," was all Kallis mustered, before the astute observer in him took over: "I think T20 is the future of cricket. At three hours, it's even shorter than a baseball game. But I honestly don't know how long the One-day format will survive."
Kallis has been a vocal critic of player burnout and the ICC's frenzied Future Tours Programme, but on Thursday it was his SA and Bangalore team-mate Mark Boucher who took up the cause, saying: "The IPL is huge even in SA. This tournament needs to be on schedule. I've seen quite a few ICC officials here who agree the tournament is an unqualified success. If so, they need to make it good for the players. Maybe the ICC and the player unions can sit down for a chat."
We're not a Test team: Dravid
Stung by four losses in five games and a team boasting of Test stalwarts who have struggled to adapt, Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Rahul Dravid said his team would have to recoup to bounce back in the IPL. Pointing out that the squad had been unlucky so far - they lost to Team Chennai by 13 runs and to Delhi Daredevils by 10 - Dravid said, "I think we lack the X-factor. I don't agree we're a Test team in T20 clothing.
“We almost pulled it off against Chennai and Delhi. I think our fifth bowler is giving away too many runs. Misbah-ul Haq is also waiting, he will also get a game." Backing his skipper, Kallis said: "Leading a side in T20 is the most difficult job because you have no time to react. Our openers haven't clicked. It's frustrating. But Dravid is as good as anyone I've played under."
