Talking points from the MAK Pataudi Memorial Lecture

#3 Luring in the cricketers

The day cricket changed forever, and perhaps not in the right direction.

"Let's not kid ourselves that players will choose a classical art form over something requiring less effort that attracts greater rewards. When the greatest players can attract the greatest income by playing the greatest form of the game, then we will see nothing less than a renaissance in Test cricket."

In what has been a major concern over the last decade or so, particularly since the advent of the IPL, the trade-off for cricketers between the grind of test cricket in situations of unforgiving mental and physical toll, and the glamorous realm of sticking to purely white ball formats has been tilting in the latter's favour.

Expressing concern about this, Pietersen requested the cricketing authorities to take the initiative for greater participation in tests and for cricketers to prioritize the traditional forms of the game over anything. He suggested the move of attracting the players with greater financial gains from playing tests, and in an age of professionalism and increasing franchise cricket, a surge in pay-scales of test cricketer is bound to make the increasingly dimming interest of players skyrocket north.

Citing the example of worldwide adored teen sensation Rashid Khan, he said, "How do you ensure that Rashid Khan and his fellow stars in this room commit to Test cricket? How do you push them towards a career where they truly care about the five-day game?

"It's remarkably simple. Ensure that it becomes their priority. They are professionals. They are brands in their own right..."