'Have 4-day, day-night Tests to pull in crowds'

LONDON: Concerned about the dwindling spectator count in Test matches, former England opener Geoffrey Boycott has urged cricket administrators to revamp the long format of the game by reducing it to four days and introducing day-nighters.
    
Citing the small crowds in the ongoing India-Pakistan Test series, Boycott said, "(Years ago) an India-Pakistan Test would be sold out twice over and you would not be able to get a seat. But people today have jobs and they do not want a Test match to last five days."
    
"First of all, I would recommend four-day Tests. I would try to increase the over rate, because people want to pack more into life, and I would play day-night Tests," he suggested.
    
Recalling the Kerry Packer series in which day-night Tests were played, Boycott said the change would bring in crowds.
    
"Kerry Packer tried it in 1977-78 and '78-79. He had a few Tests that were played at night and they got good crowds. I think it is time the administrators did something about this," he said.
    
The cricketer-turned-commentator felt India would be the ideal place to try out day-night Tests because of its "forward-looking" board and passionate fans.
    
"India is one of the places to try it (day-night Tests) because their board is forward-looking. It can do whatever it wants. It is wealthy and powerful and it can get crowds in at night," Boycott said.
    
"I think they should start playing Tests from 2pm till 10pm," he added.