In former Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga’s view, T20 is harmful to the health of the game. While ODIs required 7-8 intelligent players and a smart captain to win a game, T20 needs only power-hitters.

He asserts that the money that T20 has brought in is a positive sign but the nature of this format is such that every young cricketer would now want to be only a batsman. He also thinks that T20 will affect the longevity of a player’s career.

Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar opines that T20 is a brilliant opportunity for players like Gony and Badrinath who cannot make their place in the test and ODI teams. T20 can also be the reviver for aging players like Ganguly and Dravid who are increasingly considered unfit for ODI matches.

It is a common fear in the ex-players lobby that the glamour of T20 will eventually damage the longer formats of the game. Former Pakistan captain Hanif Muhammad thinks that T20 is a sports and entertainment package which is monetarily beneficial to the players, the boards and even the sponsors. Similar doubts were cast on the future of test cricket when the ODI format was introduced but test and ODI succeeded in maintaining their distinct identities. He thinks that although T20 will initially hurt the techniques of players but they will eventually adjust to play all formats of the game.

Former England captain Nasser Hussain thinks that the vast amount of money which is on stake in these games will help in heightening the pressure and excitement thus bringing out the character of a player. In his opinion, T20 is the cricketing equivalent of a football play-off final.

Geoffrey Boycott belongs to the liberal school of thought when it comes to views on T20 cricket. Although he likes T20 and thinks it is going to play a big part in the future of the game, it is predictable and repetitive.

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram advises the young cricketers to realize that T20 is only for entertainment and they should focus on the longer versions of the game. According to him it is the only format where the bowlers get paid to be hammered and no technique is required for playing.  

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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