Twenty20 cricket has introduced a positive attitude towards ODIs

Contrary Mohammad Yousufs assumption that T20 cricket would eventually destroy Test cricket,Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi says it has actually made the five-day games more result-oriented....

Contrary Mohammad Yousufs assumption that T20 cricket would eventually destroy Test cricket,Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi says it has actually made the five-day games more result-oriented. Test skipper Yousuf said that batsmen these days are paying more attention to adjust to the shortest version of the game and hardly care to develop technique,which is essential to be successful in Test cricket.

However,T20 skipper Afridi looked at it differently. I dont think that will happen because Test and ODIs both have their own charm. In fact,I would say T20 cricket has introduced a more positive attitude in players and led to Tests also being played more aggressively and being more result-oriented, Afridi said. What we need to do is strike the right balance in our teams for all three formats of the sport, he added.

Developing abilities

Afridi advocated the need to develop the national teams according to the abilities of the players. Already we have certain players who are Test specialists,including Yousuf himself,then there are players who are specialists for limited-overs cricket and in the third category there are players who can adjust to all three forms of the sport.

Story continues below this ad

It would not be a bad idea if we can build our Test,ODI and T20 teams according to this policy. We need to groom and develop our players accordingly, Afridi said.

Afridi,who was dropped for the Test series against Australia,said he was always available for his country and if the team management or selectors asked him to join the team for the Tests he would not hesitate. I would be willing to sacrifice my contract with South Australia if the team needed my services in the Test matches, said Afridi.