When a tree grows too large, people begin admiring its beautiful leaves and fruits. The things that are visible and colourful catch the eye more than the objects that are beneath the radar. In this regard, the root of a tree is the first thing that is taken for granted by many.
Test cricket is the true origin of cricket, but it is the format that finds itself in the most danger of dying. Why? Simple. The rise of T20 and the hectic lifestyle of our time.
But, what do the fans actually want? More Tests or T20s? The documentary by Dartmouth Films aims to get the answer through its documentary 'Death of a Gentleman'. Here's Rahul Dravid, Michael Holding, Arun Lal, and Harsha Bhogle talking about the same:
People these days don’t have much time. The demanding nature of modern day has left people in a state where one rarely gets the time to sleep. Hence, expecting people to watch a game of cricket for 8 hours a day over a period of 5 days is something that is reaching the shores of cul-de-sac.
However, the older generation of cricket fanatics are still avid viewers of the true gentlemen’s game. For them, Test cricket is the ultimate cricket—and they couldn’t be any more right.
Playing a game for a span of 540 overs reveals the true character of a person and as they say, it is indeed aptly named 'TEST'. It is for this reason that the likes of VVS Laxman are heralded as legends, despite not being as effective in the shorter version of the game.
The other reason for the decline of Test cricket is the emergence of T20 cricket—or, more specifically, the IPL. Even if one dislikes to admit it, IPL has become the cornerstone of T20 cricket—which, in turn, has made it an essential part of the sport in itself.
Almost all the best players in the world play in the IPL, so it is not absurd to see national selectors choosing players based on IPL performances. This has had a negative impact in many ways. Prior to this, players targeted Test cricket to rise to fame. Now, however, it is a completely different story.
The other obvious reason is the short nature of T20 cricket. You can come to the game from work and leave within 3-and-a-half hours and still have ample of time to sleep and get back to the work the following day.
Like mentioned earlier, people don’t have much time on their hands these days and hence a quick-fire entertainment is what they seek. It is pure common sense: people find more fun in watching a 40-over game filled with boundaries rather than 5 days of resilience.
Test cricket is all about patience—of both the players’ and the crowds’. And, these days, patience is a virtue that is rarely found among humans.
The documentary Death of a Gentleman chronicles the journey of two journalists searching for the answer if Test cricket is indeed dying. However, the situation takes a turn for the worse when they come across the biggest scandal in cricket.
You can watch Death of a Gentleman for Rs. 99/- exclusively on TVFPlay here:http://bit.ly/DOAGOnTVFPlay (This movie is available only in India)
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