IN A SPACE of one week world cricket has suffered a few losses.
Two of the foremost crowd pullers of the game, Shahid Afridi and Muttiah Muralidaran have called it quits from what is considered the toughest format in cricket – Test matches.
While Afridi was never a Test match specialist, Muralidaran bows out with his name atop the bowling charts in the oldest format of the sport. It is strange that Afridi moved from being a reluctant Test player for four years to Test skipper and straight into retirement. Muralidaran on the other hand toiled away with those eyes fixed firmly on his target for two decades.
But in their retirement is a hidden message to the world cricket bosses. And that relates to the great imbalance in cricket itineraries. The likes of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene have drawn attention to the wide chasm that exists between the privileged and under-privileged.
It is indeed ironical that while the lesser teams do not seem to get their share of Test matches, the star players from those teams are dropping out of the same format. The stars certainly cannot talk about too much cricket since the Test match format seems to be the privileged format for only India, Australia, England and South Africa. The other teams seem to be invited to action as an after-thought.
For example but for this last-minute arrangement for this ongoing India vs Sri Lanka Test series, Muralidaran and his team were scheduled to play just two Tests this year. Pakistan on the other hand are finding that extraneous factors can drain opportunities even if neutral venues offer hope.
So in a way both Afridi and Muralidaran will not really miss Tests because their sides hardly play them. Pakistan and Sri Lanka are consistent T20 and ODI sides. Afridi and Muralidaran are huge stars in those formats as well.
Muralidaran and Afridi can now proceed to becoming freelancers alongside Andrew Flintoff, Dirk Nannes, Shaun Tait, Chaminda Vaas, Adam Gilchrist, SanathJayasuriya et al. On the other hand, West Indies’ captain Chris Gayle is ready at all times to lead a bunch of merry men away from Test matches into the shorter formats at the shortest possible notice. Brendon McCullum has already revealed that he almost gave up New Zealand for IPL.
Most of these freelancers ply their trade in different countries in T20 formats especially. Alongside them are a range of journeymen English, Australian and South African cricketers who move effortlessly from region to region.
Afridi has already played his part in Australian T20 competition last season and we could see more of that in the future. As for Muralidaran the doors of IPL are open as are a few more county or provincial assignments across the world.
All the factors put together are pulling cricketers from the under-privileged teams to look out with hope for greener pastures. While Tests are primary concern for all cricket stars – a combination of an imbalanced schedule, growing opportunities as a freelance T20 specialist and more limited-overs opportunities are pulling them away.
It is perhaps only the privileged few from the first world of cricket – India, Australia, England and South Africa – who will not take such an extreme step.
World cricket needs to be more inclusive or else more cricketers could consider stepping down from the highest level to fend for themselves.
