Dilip Vengsarkar Urges Young Cricketers to Prioritize Test Cricket

Former Indian cricket legend Dilip Vengsarkar has urged young aspiring cricketers to prioritize Test cricket, emphasizing its significance in establishing true cricketing honor. Vengsarkar believes that while T20 leagues offer fame and financial rewards, the traditional format of Test cricket remains the ultimate test of a player's skill and endurance.

Vengsarkar, a member of India's 1983 World Cup-winning team, expressed concern that parents are often swayed by the allure of T20 leagues, neglecting the importance of red-ball cricket. He stressed that young players should focus on developing their skills in Test cricket, which would ultimately benefit them in all formats of the game.

"Parents are overawed with the success of IPL, its teams, and players," said Vengsarkar. "But the focus of young players should only be on red-ball cricket, which would also help them do well in other formats."

Vengsarkar, who played a pivotal role in bringing Virat Kohli into the national team as chief selector, emphasized the equal importance of bowlers in all formats of the game. "Bowlers also have a big role to play not just in the IPL but also Test cricket," he said. "They can be match-winners. Try to play Test cricket for your country. If you are a good Test cricketer, you can play other formats of the game."

"You will be rated only by what you have done for the country in Test cricket," Vengsarkar added. "IPL is a good format, it is good entertainment, and it also meets the finances, which is also very important, but Test match cricket is the ultimate."

Cricket coach Jwala Singh, who has mentored young talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Prithvi Shaw, echoed Vengsarkar's sentiments. He emphasized the crucial role of parents and coaches in nurturing young cricketers.

"When you play any sport, there are three pillars: the player, the parents, and the coach," said Singh. "It has to be a combined effort of all three, and that is what this book is about."

Singh cautioned parents against being overly ambitious for their children, driven by the fame and financial rewards of T20 leagues. He advised them to focus on fostering their children's passion for the sport and providing them with the necessary support and guidance.

"If a child has passion (for the sport) and it continues for (a number of) years, that is how it will work out," he added.

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