The Indian Premier League is one of the biggest sport events of the world and it has inspired the board of almost each and every cricketing nation to organize a T20 League contest in their country. The biggest benefit of such league tournaments is that they not only help in the developing and increasing the popularity of the sport but they also give a chance to the local players to play with international players.
South Africa’s cricket board is also quite determined to give a good chance to its T20 league contest, SA20 in order to achieve success and for this purpose, it is not even hesitating in sending a second string test team to New Zealand as the tour is coinciding with the second season of SA20.
The squad for the New Zealand tour will be lead by Neil Brand who is an uncapped player but the commissioner of SA20 league, Graeme Smith is unfazed by all the criticism as there are some who are slamming the SA cricket board for not being serious towards test cricket.
In an interview, Graeme Smith said that SA20 will take place for just four weeks in a year and the South African test cricket will not only exist but it will flourish during the remaining whole year. The Cricket South Africa has 51 percent share in SA20 and the broadcasting money will play an important role in making the CSA financially stable.
While Graeme Smith is pretty clear that test cricket will be played a lot, he strongly feels that it is ODI format which will struggle to survive. He further says that the broadcasting rights of the next two World Cups (2027 & 2031) have already been sold but between the cycle, the ODI cricket will face a lot of challenges.
Graeme Smith adds that people are interested in test cricket because it is engrossing and enchanting and we have already seen the success that has been achieved by T20 because it is enjoyed more and it is successful in commercial terms as well but people are less interested in ODI cricket nowadays.
Graeme Smith is of the opinion that the traditional methods of selection will also change, now a player will be exposed to T20 cricket first and if he is found good enough, then only after that, he will be tried in ODI and test matches.
If we go by what Graeme Smith feels, then future seems bleak for ODI cricket, what do you say?