Make Test cricket more relevant: Allan Border

Chennai: Best remembered for guiding Australia through a tough phase after Kim Hughes’ tearful farewell, Allan Border put the country on the path to world domination. Border, who set new marks in captaincy as well as batting (11,174 runs in 156 Tests), is in the city to promote the Tamil Nadu Premier League.

Border spoke about the art of captaincy, on why he loves watching Virat Kohli bat and also gave suggestions to make Test cricket more relevant.

Excerpts
Cricket thrusts so much importance on captains. What makes a good leader?
In other sports, captain’s role is more of a ceremonial. In cricket, captains are making a lot of decisions. And for me, captaincy is all about creating a positive atmosphere in the dressing room though 80 to 90 per cent of the process is a set routine. England’s Mike Brearley was a brilliant tactician. He had a unique way of getting the best out of his team members. Ian Botham, who others found it tough to handle, was a different player under his leadership. Brearley had the knack of unlocking that successful player in Botham. Different captains have different styles; some are quite achievers, some are studious and intellectual types and some are blunt and on the face.

How do you rate Virat Kohli as a captain?
I like Kohli’s captaincy because he is a feisty competitor. I think his leadership qualities will only develop in the next few years. The real test for Virat will come when India travel to South Africa, England and Australia. The mark of true greatness is excelling in conditions that they don’t suit you. You like it or not, captaincy is judged on how one performs away from home. M.S. Dhoni is more of a shorter format exponent. May be because he was so good in ODI, I think, at times, he let the game drift away in longer formats. It’s difficult to be a captain as well as wicket-keeper. But to his credit, he has good numbers to back his captaincy in Tests. I liked Sunil Gavaskar when he was leading India and Kapil Dev led by example though he was completely different from the former. Australia have a great lineage of captains, starting from Greg Chappell. I think Steven Smith is growing into the job well.

The modern era has a fantastic four in Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Joe Root and Kane Williamson who have set high standards in batting. Who is your pick for the No.1 spot?
It’s hard to pick one against the other, but I am a big fan of Virat. The way he is playing at this young age, he could end up owning all statistical records. Smith is not your classic technician. He is fidgety at the crease, the way he jumps around, but he gets the job done. Watching Kohli is a delight because of his technique. If someone wants me to bat for my life, I would probably pick Williamson. New Zealand are not getting as much exposure as other countries. I have seen Williamson playing some superb knocks in difficult conditions. He deserves to be in the bracket of top four. Best players are those who have got good technique and play T20 cricket as equally as Test.

Australia’s struggle against spin was more pronounced during the recent Sri Lanka tour and they are scheduled to tour India early next year?
The Aussies’ struggle against spin has something to do with the pitches back home. They are either all batsmen friendly or more suited for fast bowlers. During my time, Sydney was known as the pitch that turned quite a bit. And Adelaide Oval used to turn from time to time. We had opportunities in first-class cricket to learn how to bat on turning wickets. In recent times, the formula to play against Australia was rolling out turning pitches. What’s happening is that pitches are turning from day one. When we played India here in the ’80s, the pitches were batsmen friendly to start with and then it would gradually deteriorate before starting to turn. Now, Australia have picked Graeme Hick as batting coach. The appointment is out of their own system. May be, they feel someone from outside the system could serve them better. He has got tough job on hands though.

Like Border-Gavaskar trophy, do you have any suggestion for naming the future Test series?
Sachin Tendulkar has to be in there. How does it sound? (Steve) Waugh-Tendulkar trophy. The rivalry between Australia and India has been phenomenal. I think it traces back to the Madras tied Test in 1986.

With franchisee cricket mushrooming across the world, how concerned are you about the future of Test cricket?
Though I fear for Test cricket a little bit, I have to admit that I am a big fan of T20.  For me, it’s the second revolution of the game after Kerry Packer series. The format has brought new spectators to cricket. At the same time, we have to think about how to keep Test cricket relevant in the coming years. Starting a Test World Cup is a good idea, but whether it’s feasible or not, only the authorities can find out. How to fit in that in packed calendar is the biggest challenge. World Cup in a longer format will be time consuming. To play the entire tournament in one country is impossible. Unless you designate a whole year for it, you can’t handle a tournament of that magnitude. May be, introducing points system (for bilateral) will help. Away wins should carry more value and no points for a draw. I thought the two-tier Test system has some merit. You can bring teams like Ireland and Afghanistan into Tests. It gives context to every Test match played. The pooling of television rights is a good thought.

Does the pink-ball cricket played under lights excite you?
As Test cricket is under a bit of threat, there is nothing wrong in experimenting. In longer format, ball is an integral part of the game. The biggest issue with the pink ball is its durability. It has to be closer to the red ball that gets to reverse even in more abrasive conditions. In day/night Tests, you should be allowed to take the new ball after 50 overs.