The Importance of White Ball in the Test Team

The white ball players in the test team is one of the most important features of the Sammy era, and its something that has to continue, win loose or draw. All the White ball players that are in the test squad SHOULD BE, they are the most talented players in the region and also there is a demand to see them, the Test numbers might not add up, but that is just one aspect to think of. The fear of loosing some of the best talent to the franchise circuit is the most pressing issue in world cricket, the WI was the first to really feel that damage and we lost more than a few potential great Test players. A possible fix? having players know the value of their experience, these White ball players are some of the most invested and practiced players in the region, they go to different conditions, train with world class set ups develop fans in places that they might not have had the chance to play. It might not be specifically training for test cricket, but they're still facing 1000s of balls in the nets, fielding drills, learning to deal with pressure, etc. All the ingredients are there to make players that can be successful in every format, but pigeon holding them to have to preform in one first class tournament, that is still developing, as a condition for selection IS/WILL continue to draw them away from test cricket. This system encourages multi discipline learning by telling players that performances matters overall, and not just on a case by case bases, Shai Hope might not have scored a lot in the recent FC tourney, but how can anybody pick an uncapped player over him, that would make no sense, hes one of the better players in all of world cricket, 50 over, t20, franchise, he himself is beyond the FC tourney, they are world class cricketers they need to feel like they are and in time act like it. This is new and will take ironing out but it seems to be the best way to get the best players to always play all the time, winning might come or not who knows, but something needed to be done when none of the greatest of this generation aren't playing Test cricket.

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Good post.

Over a decade late though

In reply to imusic

Took Sammy.

In reply to natty_forever

These current set of cricketers, are more disciplined, and have a more educated,approach to their careers, finances and talent.

In reply to imusic

Never seeing pooran or Pollard in whites was a hard pill to swallow

Supreme talents need to be displayed and it feels we never got to see how truly great they could have been

Better late than never

In reply to Edrich

Correct
They need to find value in test, and it starts with being included in all formats
We got players developed beyond what the cricket board can provide and not taking advantage of it

Rutherford is a good example that seemed to change over night, was always talented but not developed, a couple years in the franchise circuit and he's now an integral part of the line up, guys like that need to play

In reply to conman

Well said albeit without punctuation or paragraphs! Would like to see Sherfane Rutherford in the Test team!

In reply to conman

And how are these junk cricket players going to magically develop the ability and aptitude to play Test match cricket without playing domestic red ball cricket?

Because none of them want to participate in the domestic 4 day competition choosing instead to play lickit franchise leagues.

In reply to SnoopDog

These chaps are acting like we have already had glowing success with so called white ball players in Test cricket.

In reply to SnoopDog

Before engaging

Do you think these white ball players are gaining anything valuable skill wise playing the different forms of white ball cricket?

In reply to conman



No.

Lickit franchise cricket does not (in my opinion) provide the required skill set, both technically and mentally, to play 5 day Test match cricket.

In reply to StumpCam



Exactly.

Look at the stats of some of the franchise lickit stars when they play international lickit. Mediocre at best.

And now we have people who think these same guys can magically play and succeed in 5 days of Test match cricket? Oye vey....

In reply to SnoopDog

It nah hard to take a youth from local cricket with half a talent, much less White ball, and they will also have competing 20someting averages like the incumbents

In reply to Halliwell

How King got out this morning was entirely as a result of not playing red ball cricket or enough of it in recent years.

It is absolutely critical to know where your off stump is when batting in red ball cricket. Otherwise a batter wouldn't know which balls to leave or which to play at - especially on fast, bouncy or pitches offering seam movement.

In lickit and 50 over cricket this skill is not required as batters swing at everything in those formats.

In reply to SnoopDog

Then this doesn't apply to you, i along with the west indies admin see it differently

The game is changing and we can't do things the same way

England figure that out and they playing test like limited overs

In reply to Halliwell



Whether it's a youth or an incumbent lickit star, they both need to learn to play the red ball format and they will only learn that in the red ball comp - not playing lickit.

In reply to conman



All their Test players still play 4 day red call county cricket.

Did you look at how England approached that run chase? They didn't swing like a rusty gate like it was lickit game. They were aggressive in periods but cautious at other times.

In reply to SnoopDog

All the players in this team played in the 4 day tourney

I'm not saying they shouldn't play, I'm saying the 4 day tourney should not be the only way of being selected

But that's still missing the point, the team needs fans as much as it needs wins
Star players bring fans

In reply to conman

One of the things you said that I never really considered was the fan base that these white ball players would bring to the test arena. And you are correct. Watching the game on YouTube, because of my present location, Costa Rica in a lil anniversary vacation. And I'm seeing the comments from fans who you can tell they look at our players playing in those franchise leagues.

I do hope is more win than lose though.
But by Sammy and his team picking a lot of these players, caused a lot of buzz in cricket that you dont usually have when a test tour is coming up.

In reply to conman



Fair enough. But unless the player in question was a top tier cricketer in all departments I don't know by what metric he would or should be considered for selection if one can't assess his ability to play 5 days of Test match cricket.

Brandon King is exhibit "A" for this proposition. He is without doubt a talented player and we have seen this talent in white ball cricket.

But in this Test Match we see all the shortcomings of not playing enough red ball cricket with his catching, ground fielding, and the way he got out when he batted.

In reply to positiveg



Most on this board forget that they are in the 1% of following the game, most people don't know or care about what happened in the 4 day tourney. The masses see things differently, and there needs to be a middle point, the best of both sides should be selected