Talking to Mobile ESPN, Sanjay Manjrekar speaks about the futility of five-day cricket that produces no result.

By Faisal Kamal

There might have been a good turnout at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad in the first India-Sri Lanka Test, but former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar is not contented about the idea of a 'modern-day' Test match that ends in a stalemate.

On a batting beauty Indian and Sri Lankan batsman amassed bountiful of runs but the first contest of the 3-match series ended in a tame draw on Friday.

Manjrekar says, "The last thing that Test cricket needs in present times is a sport that is played over five days, around 7-hours a day, and ending in a no result. That in today's day and age looks completely outdated and the concept will not at all appeal to the younger generation."

The bowlers felt helpless on a track that remained a batsman's paradise for the full course of five days. Indian leg-spinner Amit Misra bowled 58 overs to get a wicket while Harbhajan Singh picked up two in 48.2 overs. Both spinners conceded 392 runs. Even a wizard like Muralitharan went wicketless in India's second innings.

Manjrekar said, "I think no sport is so dictated by the track on which it is played on. If we continue to encourage the curators by calling their 'flat tracks' good wickets then we are seriously hampering the progress of Test cricket."

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Winning the toss and electing to bat, India were in trouble at 32 for 4 but centuries from Rahul Dravid (177) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (110) propelled the visitors to 426. In reply, the Lankans rode Mahela Jayawardene's 275 to post 760/7 declared. And India were 412 for 4 at close.

Manjrekar though feels India and Lanka lacked in the bowling department. "Both the teams do not have the attack to pick up 20 wickets on a placid track. It this Test series has to get exciting, the pitches have to improve. There has to be a better balance between the bat and the ball," Manjrekar opines.

The focus now shifts to Green Park, Kanpur which also has a history of producing high-scoring draws. Manjrekar is not amused. "We might just see a high-scoring dull series with the next 2 matches scheduled in Kanpur and Mumbai, respectively. But let's hope for the best and pray that the curators in Green Park and Brabourne Stadium learn from the Motera draw."

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