While Virat Kohli has always stressed on the need to keep Test cricket, the India captain, it seems, is not in favour of the reported proposal for mandatory 4-day Tests from World Test Championship cycle in 2023.
Speaking to the press on the eve of the 1st T20I between India and Sri Lanka, Virat Kohli said he is not in favour of tampering with the traditional 5-day format of Test cricket.
Virat Kohli's comments came after it was reported that the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Cricket Committee was gearing up to propose mandatory 4-day Tests from the 2023 World Test Championship cycle.
"According to me, it should not be altered. As I said, the day-night is another step towards commercialising Test cricket and you know, creating excitement around it, but it can't be tinkered with too much. I don't believe so," Kohli said.
"You know the Day-Night Test is the most that should be changed about Test cricket, according to me.
"Then you are purely only talking about getting numbers, entertainment and you know. I think the intent will not be right then because then you will speak of three-day Tests. I mean where do you end? Then you will speak of Test cricket disappearing.
"So I don't endorse that at all. I don't think that is fair to the purest format of the game. How cricket started initially, and you know five-day Tests was the highest of tests you can have at the International level."
Unlike 5-day Tests which see 90 overs bowled in a day, 4-day Tests will have 98 overs in a day. With more than 60 percent of Test matches since 2018 finishing inside 4 days, the ICC is reportedly considering mandatory 4-day Tests to free up schedule for other limit
Reference Site: https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/story/virat-kohli-4-day-tests-not-in-favour-should-not-be-tinkered-india-vs-sri-lanka-1633922-2020-01-04
