To revive interest in Tests,Sachin has an idea: Free one stand for school kids

The panelists — Bhogle,former cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar,Editor-in-Chief of IBN18 Network Rajdeep Sardesai,and Indian Premier League (IPL) Commissioner Lalit Modi — then had a lively debate about the emergence of T20,about how cricket is written and reported these days,and how other sports in the country can be revived.

Sitting in the audience,Tendulkar pitched in with his suggestions on how to make Test cricket regain its lost glory. “It was as a 10-year-old when I watched a match inside a stadium for the first time. It was a Test match between West Indies and India,and the experience is etched in my memory forever,” he said.

Tendulkar suggested that one stand at every venue during Test matches should be kept free for the weekends to bring school children into the ground. “We could have the topper — either in academics or in sport — from various schools coming in to witness Test cricket. That could also be a very big incentive for them. If it turns even 10 per cent of those kids into Test cricket fans,it’ll be great for the game.”

Earlier,welcoming the guests,Shekhar Gupta,Editor-in-Chief of The Indian Express group,said: “Harsha always says that his two best friends are cricket and the English language. But he has a third friend — his talent. It is this that has taken him so far.”

S K Roongta,Chairman of SAIL,said: “I still fondly remember the century that Sachin scored for West Zone in a Duleep Trophy game at the Rourkela SAIL stadium… Like the cricketers,even Harsha has become a household name.”

Tendulkar spoke of his long association with Bhogle and joked that while he had been an inspiration for future generations from within the commentary box,he would like to see him bowl his loopy leg-spinners in the Indian team nets. Bhogle declined the offer with a smile,but asked Tendulkar to present an autographed copy of the book to his elder brother Shriniwas who he described as his biggest hero. “The one thing that Sachin and I have in common,” he said,“is that our older brothers have had a huge role to play in our success.”

This set the tone for the panel discussion — free flowing and full of light-hearted banter despite the diversity of views — which had Modi defending Twenty20 cricket,saying the format was at least bringing new viewers to the game. “To increase viewership we have to bring people back into the stadium,which T20 is achieving. During my trip to the MCC,I had even suggested day-and-night Tests,” he said.

Manjrekar felt the biggest drawback of Test cricket was its duration. “I think people still love to see the exciting facets of Test cricket — four bouncers in an over or a gully and four slips — but it is difficult to retain their interest for seven hours in a day and five whole days. The masses will eventually decide where the game goes,” he said.

Sardesai raised the issue of how there was a full house for the first Ashes Test in England,while Tests in India were generally played in front of half-empty stands because the BCCI did not promote them. Bhogle agreed,saying more facilities needed to be provided for paying spectators,but was confident that Tests would always remain the traditional soul of cricket.

“We are neither ruining nor diluting Tests,but simply creating a new format which will end up developing newer skills. Each format projects a certain set of skills and a long innings by Sachin is as special as a 10-15 minute blast by Yusuf Pathan,” he said.

The event was organised with presenting partner SAIL,electronic media partner CNN-IBN and hospitality partner Taj Lands End. The 275-page book,published in Viking by Penguin Books,is priced at Rs 450.