CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) is considering the option of converting its First Division into a four-day affair from the upcoming season beginning in August. The association is set to hold talks with the teams in the coming days following which a formal decision will be taken.
The TNCA’s First Division tournament still remains a hugely popular tournament in the country with several outstation players regularly featuring in the event. Traditionally played as a three-day contest, in 2019, the TNCA citing a packed calendar, converted it into a two-day contest. From the outset the move has faced strong criticism from all quarters and with the state teams’ performance in the Ranji Trophy continuing to be below-par, several players including R Ashwin have been advocating for the First Division to be at least made a three-day contest.
With TN once again failing to reach the knockouts of the Ranji Trophy, the TNCA is now planning to make changes to the First Division. “We are in discussions to make it a four-day contest from this season and once we meet the teams we will have a better picture,” TNCA secretary RS Ramasaamy said.
According to the new format, the 12 teams will be divided into two groups of six each with the top two making it to the semifinals. “Since the schedule is packed and the number of match days can’t be increased, we are planning to put the teams in two groups. Although this deprives all the teams of playing against each other, we will tweak the VAP Trophy format and ensure all of them get to face each other once,” Ramasaamy added.
The move to make the First Division a four-day affair is a much needed one as of late TN players have struggled to get going in the long format. The batters especially have showed lack of application and in the last two Ranji seasons, they have scored only 10 centuries with Baba Indrajith alone scoring three of these.
In the current two-day format, First Division has deprived the batters of the art of constructing an innings and with over-rates in equation, teams have relied heavily on spinners and thus making fast bowlers redundant. In that context, there are instances where some middle-order batters didn’t even get the opportunity to face pacers. By going to a four-day format, these concerns can be addressed and most importantly it will bring fast bowlers into the equation.
At present, TN lacks quality fast bowlers who it can rely on a consistent basis as several first-choice pacers are hampered by injury concerns.
“We need to improve our red-ball cricket and there are no two ways about it. This will help our cricketers because TNPL has showed what it can do to white-ball cricket. This also will help Tamil Nadu going forward,” Ramasaamy added.