“Twenty20 has come to stay. Of course, cricketers may not be able to showcase their entire repertoire of skills, but then they need to always keep thinking on their feet,” said former Indian cricketer W.V. Raman on the shortest format of the game.
Speaking out his mind about Twenty20 cricket during his recent visit to Tiruchi, Mr. Raman, the Tamil Nadu coach, felt that exposure to the shortest format of the game would equip youngsters to handle pressure situations. “There is hardly any time to relax in a Twenty20 game as things happen in a flash,” he said.
He observed that T20 may not necessarily be the first step for a young Test cricket aspirant, though it boosts up the confidence levels.
Mr. Raman, who played 11 Tests and 27 One-day internationals for India, dismissed the notion that the growing popularity of Twenty20 has put ODIs and Test match cricket under threat. “I don’t think Twenty20 will eclipse other formats of the game. For instance, there are commercial as well as art films, each holding its own charm,” he explained.
Mr. Raman, who earlier visited the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in BHEL Township here, the venue for the Vasan Estates – Tiruchi Premier League (TPL) Twenty20 cricket tourney, beginning on May 22, said: “TPL is a good initiative by MAP Trust and I believe that it will provide an opportunity for the young cricketers to showcase their talent.”
Mr. Raman was accompanied by D. Thilak Chander, TPL chairman, and Ravi Murugaiah, chairman, Vasan Estates.
“We are doing our best to make the tournament a big hit. Conduct of TPL during vacation, and scheduling of some of the matches, including the finals, in the evening hours under floodlights constitute the main attractions,” said G. Vinoth, TPL vice-president.
