How contrasting styles and structured calendar would better serve cricket, explains Trott

New Delhi: Variety of different playing in different conditions is the spice of Tests and efforts should be taken for a structured calendar to preserve and grow different formats of cricket in the modern age of proliferation of franchise-oriented T20s, feels former England batter Jonathan Trott.

India’s ploy to prepare spin-friendly pitches in their 0-2 Test series defeat to South Africa came under scrutiny as did Australia’s win over England inside two days in the first match of the ongoing Ashes series on a bouncy track in Perth.

"Don't forget there was a day and age where we thought cricket was boring and there were too many draws... Now we're saying that cricket's too short and there's too many wins and losses. So we've got to be careful that we don't always think the grass is greener," Trott said, now the coach of Afghanistan.

"So, I think we've got to be careful in that we don't try and pigeonhole Test cricket and ODI and what we should do is try and embrace the way that this team plays Test cricket or this team plays ODI cricket.

"When you go to India, you know it's going to spin. You go to Sri Lanka, it's going to spin. When you go to Australia, it's going to be pacey and bouncy. That's what makes cricket interesting, everybody has a different approach to it."

England have embraced an ultra aggressive ‘Bazball’ style, which led to their undoing in the Ashes opener but Trott thought there is no reason to discard it with the second match beginning in Brisbane on Thursday.

"I think you need to embrace the way that you think is going to give you the best chance of winning. That's the way that Brendon (McCullum) and (Ben) Stokes see their chances down in Australia.

"They are going to back it. They have lost games before and ended up winning series as well. I wouldn't bet against England in Australia," he said, as quoted by PTI adding that he doesn’t endorse the idea of four-day Tests.

Mushrooming of franchise leagues around the world has led to a crammed calendar that needs to be brought into shape, Trott observed.

"I certainly feel there should be maybe windows of international cricket and windows of franchise cricket, and where the international sides and the franchises are when they play their tournaments. So that everyone can live together and everyone can make the game and sell the game and get more people interested.

"So people watching the game know, 'look, this month this is going to be franchise cricket everywhere around the world and in the next month or so it's going to be international cricket'," he said.

"I was watching the highlights of the South Africa-India Test in Kolkata and that stadium looked full for a Test match. Also, I certainly feel the ODI game is a good product.

"You certainly see World Cups, there's a lot of interest. I know there'll be a lot of interest in the next 50-over World Cup in South Africa (in 2027).

"I think we've got to look after the game and we've got to find the right amount of time and certainly interest in the game is there. We've just got to manage it right."