IPL poses no threat to Test cricket, says Kevin Pietersen – Cricket News Update
The prolific English batsman, Kevin Pietersen, who is playing for the IPL franchise, the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Delhi-c780 Daredevils, in the ongoing season five of the esteemed Indian Premier League, on Wednesday, insisted that T20 cricket is not a threat to Test cricket, and deemed
it to be the pinnacle of the game.
With the introduction of the T20 format, Test match cricket has lost the audience over the last couple of years. Many believe that the money-spinning IPL has been a major factor behind the lost fame of Test cricket, especially in the Subcontinent, but Kevin
Pietersen does not agree with this perception.
In an exclusive interview to CNN-IBN, the hard-hitting Delhi Daredevils batsman said that the shortest format of the game would not hurt Test cricket, adding that the negative publicity of the high profile Twenty20 league in the West disappoints him.
He also asked for a window for the cash-rich Indian Premier League in world cricket as it would allow the players to honour their national as well as club commitments with complete focus.
"It saddens me when I read negative publicity of the IPL in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KP-Pietersen-c1806 in an exclusive interview to an Indian sports channel.
The 31-year-old South African born batsman rubbished the common perception that IPL is a money-making event for international players.
"There's lot of money issues [and] that I think is what dampens it in England. People think that it's just a money-making racket for individuals but so what? That's just the way it is. Sportsmen get paid. What are you going to do about it?” the right-handed
top-order batsman asked.
KP said that T20 cricket is not hurting Test cricket rather it is helping the five-day format.
"It won't take over Test match cricket...Twenty20 cricket's helping Test cricket in a way that people are playing the game faster; therefore, you are getting more results,” said the right-hander.
Pietersen, however, hinted that Twenty20 cricket could be a threat for the ODI format of the game.
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