If India and Pakistan play a Test series, there will be enormous interest in the format: Aravinda de Silva

Legendary Sri Lanka batter Aravinda De Silva has stated that the future of Test cricket lies in its ability to sell rivalries better, with questions surrounding the future of the format with the growing prominence of T20 cricket.

Taking the example of India and Pakistan, arch-rivals on the cricket field, the former cricketer stated that if the two nations played a Test match, there would be enormous interest, which could be similarly used to preserve and grow the format by creating a rivalry. The two countries last played a Test match against each other in 2007.

“If India and Pakistan play a Test series today, there will be enormous interest. It is how you create that battle,” De Silva told Sportstar.

De Silva was Player of the Match in the final of the 1996 Cricket World Cup, leading Sri Lanka to the title with a century and three wickets. Sri Lanka has since then reached two ODI World Cup finals in 2007 and 2011, but fell short on both occasions. They did, however, win the ICC T20 World Cup in 2014. De Silva believes that Sri Lanka is in a good place with the talent in their system, but the game needs to be aligned with modern-day trends. He also emphasised the need for investment in the development of players.

“We have continued to do well since 1996. It’s unfortunate that we haven’t won another 50-over World Cup, even though we came close in 2007 and 2011. But talent-wise, I still don’t see any issue. The players and administrators have to look at how the game is changing and align with modern-day requirements. Most countries which are financially strong have been able to dominate the sport,” he said,

Speaking of the exponential rise of India's 15-year-old starlet Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, he drew examples of his peers, Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana, to emphasise letting youngsters express themselves. He further stated the importance of young players having the willingness to learn and having the right people around them.

The shorter format allows these youngsters to come out and express themselves. Sport is all about that freedom. During our time, Sanath (Jayasuriya) and Kalu (Romesh Kaluwitharana) were encouraged to play their natural game without worrying about getting out,” De Silva said.

“The grounding is very important. Who you listen to and take advice from is very important. As long as young players have the willingness to learn and the right people around them, they can have a long and successful career," he added.