The Mohali pitch has not been kind to the bowlers © AFP

I remember playing a Duleep Trophy match against West Zone at the PCA Stadium in Mohali. It was a classic Mohali track with pace, bounce and enough lateral movement to keep the batsmen guessing and, for once, making the bowlers believe that being a bowler wasn’t that bad a thing. Faster men ruled the match but good batting was also rewarded, for bounce always helps to play shots.

Then there was the second Test match of my debut series against New Zealand at the same venue. While the track wasn’t as lively as it was for the Duleep Trophy, it had enough to keep the bowlers interested. What made the show even more exciting were the spectators who’d come out in huge numbers on all five days of the Test match despite India trailing. A lot has changed since then – the pitch is a far cry from its original spirit, turning potentially competitive games into wishy-washy affairs. The spectators too seem to have got a whiff of the bland show, and hence don’t care much about turning up and supporting their country.

The ongoing Test Match in Mohali seems to have been hit by both problems – a tame pitch and a low-key audience. The track is not even a pale shadow of what it used to be. The much talked about pace and bounce is a thing of the past. Now we witness a low, slow wicket that is not ideal for a fair competition between the bat and the ball. If it wasn’t for the SG Test ball which helps the spinners with its pronounced seam and assists the pacers with reverse swing, bowlers may start mulling over their availability for the venue.

The claims holding incessant rains responsible for the insipid pitch at Mohali may fall flat too. When India played England in 2008, it was a high scoring match that ended in a draw.

Ironically though, when the Ranji Trophy starts in three weeks, the pitch report might read quite differently. There will be an even grass covering on the track and fast bowlers will share the spoils once again. Spinners play an insignificant role for Punjab in the first class cricket. I’m not suggesting a green top against Australia, for that would be playing into their hands (like India did in 2004 at Nagpur) but a track with at least some carry and bounce won’t hurt the game. It’s rather unnerving to see the ball bounce twice to the wicket-keeper on the first day of a Test match.

Unfortunately, this comes at a time when sweeping attempts are being made to resurrect the format and challenge the spectator’s growing disenchantment. Earlier, any international match would bring the star-crazy people into the stadium but now their hunger is satiated via the IPL. No longer do they need to survive the proceedings of a dull Test match in order to get a glimpse of their favourite stars. Since the IPL has given them a taste of all that they can get from a match, the hosts need to stop taking their spectators for granted.

In order to save the longer format it’s absolutely mandatory to encourage parents to bring their kids to watch the purest form of cricket. That might mean opening the gates at a much cheaper price or perhaps allowing kids for free when accompanied by their parents. Also give them incentives like organising tennis-ball cricket matches on the ground after the day’s play, running contests during the day and a good PA system in place educating the crowd about the nuances of the game. These measures would enhance the viewing pleasure of the paying public and ensure that our cricketers aren’t playing to empty stands.

Getting rid of meaningless matches may not be possible, for how would weaker teams improve otherwise? © Getty Images

“How to make an apparently outdated Test cricket in vogue?” is the big question everyone seems to be asking. While debates and discussions are gaining momentum, MCC has gone ahead and renovated the format for others to either follow suit or mull over. The only format to be played exclusively at day time might now be played under lights and with a pink ball. Obviously, the intent to save the oldest format of the sport is pretty evident.

But what is it that has led to taking such drastic steps to revamp the most classic format? Well, the first problem is the empty stadia and dropping TRPs and second is the lack of interest shown by the youngsters in the longest format.

The first proposal is to make it a day-night affair to cater to the prime-time television. Apparently it isn’t only the viewers in the stadium who are missing but also the people who watch the action on telly that are giving it a miss. While cricket at prime-time might increase viewership, it won’t be a bad idea to get to the root cause of dwindling interest. In my humble opinion people are staying away from Test cricket for a variety of reasons. First could be the meaningless matches (say Bangladesh v India). Regardless of the build-up, it would take some serious love for the game to watch the batsmen piling up runs against hapless bowling.

But it is not only the matches amongst the unequal which fail to ignite interest. Even the two top teams playing on a dead-flat track would face similar fate. The series Australia played against India in 2008-09 would be the prime example of not producing interesting cricket despite the best in the business locking horns.

Getting rid of meaningless matches may not be possible, for how would weaker teams improve otherwise? But at the same time I’m not sure if getting a royal beating by bigger teams every time is helping them either. Hence we may need to tweak the rules a bit to accommodate them till they reach a certain level. My suggestion is to put a cap on the number of overs a team can bat to 125 in the first innings and 100 overs each in the second dig. This might ensure that the stronger team won’t run away with the game and the weaker team isn’t out of it either. And it goes without saying; ICC must ensure that Test Cricket is not played on a road but on tracks which have something in it for everyone.

The second fold of the problem is that young cricketers don’t seem to be interested in playing the longer format anymore. They’d rather play in the lucrative T20 leagues than toiling hard for years to acquire the requisite skills to succeed in Test cricket. Let’s face it. These youngsters have choices in front of them and you can’t blame them for choosing the more profitable option. After all one can earn more money in 60 days of T20 cricket than what you’d get after playing for the country in Test cricket for 5 years. I think it’s about time that we increase the financial reward substantially for playing Test cricket but also bring that in to public knowledge. Every Test hundred, a five-for and a win should attract monetary rewards. This might ensure that the Cheteshwar Pujaras and Rahul Dewans of the cricketing world won’t sacrifice their technique and temperament to get on to the T20 bandwagon.

It may not be possible for not-so-rich cricket boards across the world but since India hosts the most lucrative T20 league, it can definitely do its bit to safeguard the interest of the oldest form of cricket.