T20 can't survive without Test cricket: Sir Richard Hadlee

 A purist at heart, New Zealand pace great Sir Richard Hadlee is t a fan of T20 cricket and has qualms in asserting that shortest format will t survive if Tests are t taken care of. Hadlee said foundation of cricket must be "preserved" and all three formats can co-exist if a balance is struck.

"Test cricket must be preserved. It's foundation on which game is based. So we must look after five-day game," Hadlee said."Certainly, with emergence of T20 cricket which is a revolution in game, all three formats need to live toger. y can co-exist but I hate to see that T20 cricket will dominate world cricket," 69-year-old made his preference clear in response to a query from PTI.

He is very sure that T20 cricket won't be able to sustain game if traditional format is t taken care of."Probably too much T20 cricket is played around world. But I hope that game doesn't try to just survive through T20 cricket because T20 cricket is t real cricket. Real cricket is Test cricket," said Hadlee, owner of 431 Test wickets and 3124 runs from only 86 Tests. Hadlee, however, feels that T20 has produced more skillful players even though y might t be better cricketers.

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"I am t saying y are better players but y are certainly more skillful. Because of different formats that y play, y have to adapt to different situations particularly in T20 which is a high-risk game anyway with all trick shots that y play," he stated." T20 generation bowlers today have for at least five variations. y bowl different deliveries like knuckleball, back of hand slower one."Back in my time, I only had two variations (inswinger and outswinger). That's all I needed," said man, who during his best days moved ball in and out with apparent change in wrist position.

Too much of T20 cricket will lead to burut and premature retirements with most quick bowlers preferring to quit longer format once y are around 34."At 34 or 35, you probably end your career as quick bowler but you can have three or four years left in T20 cricket because if you play Test cricket, you can burn out, get injured and be less effective."People will retire prematurely to pursue where money is. That's t a criticism at all but a sign of times and way game has gone. I was 39 when I retired and it was Test cricket. That's it," Hadlee said.

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