A. Absolutely right. Players should be well equipped to play in different wicket conditions. There has been an endeavour from the highest authorities to develop true wickets in places like in our sub-continent. But at the same time, we should be aware that different countries have different characteristics, which also should be maintained. We definitely wouldn’t want a scenario where all the wickets would be of same characteristics in any part of the world wherever cricket is played. The concept of home and away system gets defeated otherwise.

A. People at the helm of affairs have the final say on this. They are the ones who will decide the future of T20 cricket. T20 is a part of cricket and people often relate it as a different sport altogether. If only 4s and 6s are taken into consideration as entertainment factors, then the future of this sport is in jeopardy. I always believe in equal contest between bat and ball wherein the suspense of the game is intact. As you rightly pointed out, from fast wickets to slow turners, the champions league had it all. This is the hallmark of a perfect T20 tournament or any cricket tournament for that matter. Sporting wickets, longer boundaries are some of the aspects; the organizers must give a thought. In order to maximize viewer’s entertainment, there is a tendency for the organizer to compromise on the quality of the game being played which is unfortunate. Scores above 200 don’t always indicate the true quality of game being played. Low scores or high scores is insignificant, the quality of play in the field is important.

A. Initially we assumed that the IPL would be the benchmark and everything else would adapt. But the CL T20 is a international format and will move from country to country. This means the flat feather bed wickets in India may be delicious for a hitter but elsewhere things are not the same. Pitch conditions in countries like SA, Australia and WI are more bouncier. It may not be the routine front foot attack and a six. Backfoot skills will be on test and then we will see the real T20 batsmen. Bowlers will have o change their length and fielding will be put to a new standard of quality. SA is indeed unique because you get varied wickets and conditions. From the altitude of the Wanderers to the sea side Port Elizabeth,things can be a drastic change. One day the ball will come onto the bat and the next match will see a slow turner. This means no batsman can take things for granted. He will become a better player and more complete. IPL stars may struggle in alien conditions but finally class will stand out. We will have more genuine T20 players and not just fifteen minute heroes. The quality of cricket will be tight and captaincy skills will evolve. The game is still nascent and learning. Yes T20 is not the same and we saw how Chennai and Bangalore finished. Their skills were tested and the players emerged wiser and better.