“You can't say I'm good only in 1 format and that's what I'll be playing” - Dilip Vengsarkar

Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar has opined that all cricketers should play all the formats of the game. According to Vengsarkar, the concept of Test specialist or white-ball specialist is a flawed one.

In recent years, a number of players have begun picking one format over the other, given the crammed cricketing schedule. Things have become tougher with COVID-19 forcing cricketers into bio-bubbles.

Vengsarkar, though, stated that no cricketer would be like to known as a specialist in only one format of the sport. Replying to a query on whether attacking opener Prithvi Shaw should be viewed as a white-ball specialist, Vengsarkar told Hindustan Times:

"I don't believe in this red-ball and white-ball concept. Whatever is there, you just have to play. I don't think anybody is good in red-ball cricket and bad in white-ball or vice-versa. Every player must and needs to play all the formats. You can't say I'm good only in one format and that's what I'll be playing. No cricketer would like to have a stamp on him that he is good only in one format."

Vengsarkar added:

"Also, the longer format is the ultimate form of the game. And of course, ODIs and T20Is are equally important but it's important that the ICC or the BCCI must see to it that the longer format is healthy."

EXPLAINED: The reason why DC admin runs out of adjectives and time to describe @PrithviShaw's game LIVE 💙#TeamIndia #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/kBVdUSmsie

— Delhi Capitals (Stay Home. Wear Double Masks😷) (@DelhiCapitals) July 19, 2021

Shaw was dropped from the Indian team following his struggles against the red ball in New Zealand and Australia. He was picked for the white-ball series in Sri Lanka. In his first match on comeback, Shaw smashed 43 off just 24 balls as India comfortably won the game by seven wickets.

"Good thing that Rahul Dravid is on the Sri Lanka tour" -Dilip Vengsarkar

A comprehensive 7-wicket win for #TeamIndia to take 1-0 lead in the series🙌How good were these two in the chase! 👏👏8⃣6⃣* runs for captain @SDhawan25 👊 5⃣9⃣ runs for @ishankishan51 on ODI debut 💪Scorecard 👉 https://t.co/rf0sHqdzSK #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/BmAV4UiXjZ

— BCCI (@BCCI) July 18, 2021

Shaw was the captain of the Indian team that lifted the Under-19 World Cup in 2018. Rahul Dravid, who is the coach of the Indian squad in Sri Lanka, was the mentor of the Shaw-led Under-19 team as well.

Vengsarkar is pleased that Dravid is accompanying the Indian players in Sri Lanka. He stated that since Dravid knows most of the youngsters very well, he can assess their progress on the tour better. Vengsarkar added:

"Rahul has been part of the NCA for a long time and he knows all the players because so many players have trained under him. He's well-versed with the players who have gone through the NCA. It's a good thing that he is on the Sri Lanka tour with the boys and he can see and witness their performance first-hand.”

Having won the first ODI in Colombo by seven wickets, Team India will look to seal the series when they take on Sri Lanka in the second game on Tuesday.

What a performance from the team! @SDhawan25 @ishankishan51 @PrithviShaw too good! And how good it was to see Rahul bhai back in the dressing room🤩 #SLvIND #RahulDravid pic.twitter.com/JINUZfjYBO

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) July 18, 2021