Days after West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard’s blistering innings helped Trinbago Knight Riders snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat in a CPL 2020 encounter against Barbados Tridents, legendary England cricketer David Gower termed him one of the best T20 players but said he is not good enough to play Test cricket.
“Kieron Pollard is one of the world’s best T20 players but he knows as well as I do that he cannot play test cricket, he isn’t good enough to play test cricket.” Gower said in conversation on SportsTiger’s show “Off-the-Field”.
Pollard who is a stalwart for the West Indies in limited-overs cricket and one of most desired cricketers for franchises in T20 leagues across the globe, has never played Test cricket.
Pollard, however has played 508 T20 matches and will fly to the UAE after CPL ends to join the Mumbai Indians squad ahead of IPL 2020.
Talking about IPL, which is slated to begin from September 19 in UAE, Gower, said: “I think overall IPL has been very good for cricketers both for the homegrown and the international players. Ever since the games have got shorter from the time of the invention of ODI, fielding has become incredible. I think T20 has changed a lot since the first days of IPL when IPL was taking some of the great players from around the world at the end of their career. But now, one wants the young players. I feel it is a very good training ground for players.”
He though opined that IPL isn’t going to make you a great test player but the best players in IPL make a huge amount of money.
The former English Captain who featured for the three-lions in 117 Test matches and 114 One Day Internationals (ODI) scoring 8,231 and 3170 runs respectively seemed mighty impressed by the Indian Captain Virat Kohli and his love for test cricket. Gower said, “Virat Kohli as the leading player of the world calling test cricket as the toughest and most important form is great PR for the format.”
Gower also picked his best Test XI from the current day players and said, “Ben Stokes and Virat Kohli will be the instant picks for him and there are no two ways about it.” He also picked Joe Root, Kane Williamson and Steve Smith as a part of the team. He also said. “If a current day spinner is to be chosen it would be between Ravichandran Ashwin or Nathan Lyon.”
He also said, “If I have to pick a Captain for the team it will surely be Virat Kohli, what I like about Virat apart from his talent is his passion and absolute drive. Cricket is still a game where you can be a brilliant individual within the team but too much of individuality can also be harmful but Virat is an extraordinary individual contributing to the team.”
