Aim is to improve overseas record: Ganguly
First Published : 12 Jun 2012, 16:49
Last Modified : 12 Jun 2012, 17:00
Mumbai, June 12: With the sole objective of ensuring that domestic cricket in India flourishes, the BCCI Technical Committee held a meeting to discuss and recommend certain changes to the domestic structure of Indian cricket. Former India skipper and also the chairman of the committee, Sourav Ganguly is confident that the suggested changes will enhance the quality of cricket played at the domestic level.
“Mostly the Ranji Trophy format will be changed, the Elite and the Plate system goes away and pitches will be monitored. The Challengers tournament will have a different format and even the Ranji Trophy points system has gone through a change. If you win an outright [match] you get 6 instead of 5 points and if you win by 10 wickets it’s a bonus another point, so 7,” said Ganguly.
The former India skipper emphasised the importance of quality pitches in domestic cricket and believes the suggested changes will ensure quality wickets.
“The emphasis will be on pitches, the BCCI pitch committee will visit every venue to make sure the pitches are good. We’ve suggested some minor changes; overall it’s a simple game and let’s leave it at that. We’ve got two bouncers in one-day cricket, “he added.
The 39-year-old believes that an overhaul of domestic cricket is not necessary but mentioned that the minor modifications that improve and help domestic cricketers is the need of the hour.
“Hopefully we’ll try to help them [domestic players]. At the end of the day, this game is about scoring runs and picking wickets. As long as you keep it to that the Indian domestic structure is very good; the system is in place and that’s why Indian cricket does well,” he revealed.
Ganguly hopes that the suggested changes to domestic cricket will eventually help the senior Indian team perform better on overseas tours.
“The basic emphasis is to see that Indian cricket does well overseas. That is going to be the biggest emphasis for whoever is concerned with Indian cricket. The loss of eight Tests in a row has not been very good. So whatever amendments we make is to make sure we start playing well overseas. India will always play well at home.” the Technical Committee Chairman concluded.
