Former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga criticised current cricket players lacking essential skills and blamed franchises for the international game suffering.
Ranatunga elaborated on his argument by saying that his 1996 Lankan team would easily defeat the current Indian team in India. “When I was captaining in the early 90s, you look at that batting order as a player… Gavaskar, Vengsarkar, Amarnath. We couldn’t get them out twice…Azharuddin, Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli, Dravid followed. What quality players they were. I’ll ask you a question. Don’t get me wrong. Do we have that class in India now? I don’t think so. I’m blunt. I’ll tell you to the face. If I have this Indian side play against my ’96 side, I’ll get them out twice. I’ll beat India in India,” Ranatunga said to the Telegraph.
Comparing Indian and Sri Lankan cricketers facing the same issue of not being able to create cricketers who could play ‘proper cricket’, Ranatunga said that the value of playing for one’s country was diminishing enough now that its role would cease to exist in the future and franchise cricket would be the only remaining avenue for the game. The ex-Lankan skipper also said that Test cricket required ‘quality, technique and brains’.
“Are we teaching our younger guys proper cricket? Can India produce Gavaskars, Vengsarkars, Amarnaths? Maybe Tendulkars, Dravids? Tell you honestly, I have my doubts now. We Sri Lankans have the same problem. I’m glad the present guys are getting good money. You’re looking at franchise cricket. The players are allowed to play franchise cricket without playing for your country… You will agree with me in another five years. Ultimately, the value of playing for your country will be gone. In another five years, they will play (only) franchise cricket.” (Indian Express)
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