Former Australia captain Ian Chappell has shared his concern over the future of cricket, especially Test cricket, which is currently facing a dual challenge from T20 cricket and climate change too. In an article for ESPNcricinfo, Chappell said that although the recently concluded Ashes series — which ended in a 2-2 draw between England and Australia gave the hope into the longer format of the game, Test cricket will face many challenges ahead. According to him, administrators must look into the effects of climate change.
“The effects of climate change on the game are a major concern, and the solutions rely on decisive action being taken by some annoyingly reticent politicians,” he said.
However, the former Australian captain believes that climate change concern goes beyond downpours delaying matches.
“For starters, drastic increases in temperature will add to the health dangers for players. There’s nothing more frustrating than a game delayed by rain, but imagine if players are off the field because the sun burns too brightly,” he said. “That is the reality if temperatures keep rising; players will need to be protected from heat stroke or more lasting skin-cancer damage. In a litigious era, cricket boards will need to proceed with caution.”
He further added that day-night matches should be played more to popularise the format.
Read here: Shafali Verma Can be The Opener India Are Looking For, Says Mithali Raj
“It’s no wonder day-night matches are considered critical to Test cricket’s future,” he said. “Then there is the concern of rising sea levels and more ferocious weather events like devastating tornadoes and cyclones. There’s also the damaging effect of reduced rainfall, which has already seen one Test-match city – Cape Town – come perilously close to running out of water in recent years,” he added.
“These are firm reminders that cricketers and administrators need to take climate change seriously. Mind you, any disastrous effects on a sport will pale into insignificance when compared with the potential of climate change to inflict devastation on the planet,” Chappell concluded.
