In the backdrop of the first Test being played between India and Sri Lanka in Mohali the legendary Sunil Gavaskar showered praise on Virat Kohli for resurrecting the longest format of the game. The ongoing Test also marked Kohli's 100th match in the whites.
Gavaskar also said that India are much invested in Tests and people who have been accusing India for not focusing on the red-ball cricket are wrong.
“The way Kohli played Test cricket, the way he has captained, he showed the importance of Test cricket to the world. The people on the outside say that India aren't focused on Test cricket. They're wrong. India are very much invested in Tests. But the way India have created a balance between white-ball cricket and Test cricket is worthy of praise,” Sunil Gavaskar said.
Gavaskar talked about a shift which was seen since 2008-2009 where Test cricket took the back seat and started losing its shine.
“The thing that you need to consider is that Test cricket was played considerably more during the time when the first 10-11 Indian players reached 100 Tests. White-ball cricket wasn't played that much. But since 2008-2009, it went the opposite way. White-ball cricket was played more and Tests were left behind. So, if someone needed to give importance to the game, he had to play Test cricket,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
Virat had a double delight as he not only became the 12th Indian to play 100th Test match but also became sixth Indian to score 8000 runs in whites.
Kohli joined the likes of Sachin Tendulkar (15921), Rahul Dravid (13288), Sunil Gavaskar (10122), VVS Laxman (8781) and Virender Sehwag (8586) after he went past the 8000-run mark. Overall, Kohli has become the 33rd batter to amass 8000 career runs in Test cricket.
The 72-year-old cricketing great further added that former captains Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli's respective Test sides played a major role in the improved stature of the game.
“We have Test matches in every season and the way Dhoni and Kohli's teams have played in those games is the reason for the format's improved stature in the world at the moment. Everyone knows that a cricketer is rated on the basis of his performance in Test cricket. If you don't make runs or don't take regular wickets in Tests, you won't be counted as one of the greats of the game,” said Gavaskar.
