DUBAI // Gary Kirsten, the India coach, has brushed aside fears that Twenty20 competitions like the Indian Premier League (IPL) could diminish the country's pool of Test cricketers, saying the five-day format will always be the pinnacle of the sport.
Rahul Dravid, one of Test cricket's foremost batsmen, recently said that young Indian cricketers lacked the "all-consuming desperation" to succeed in the longer version of the game because of the growing appeal of events like the IPL.
Kirsten, however, suggested the IPL can benefit Indian cricket by improving their Twenty20 game without infringing on, or harming, the future of Tests.
"We are moving into the modern world of sport and T20 is a very important component of it," said Kirsten. "It is really up to the individuals to decide how they want to be remembered, what legacy they want to leave behind.
"I would say 90 per cent of the cricketers that I have spoken to want to be remembered as great Test cricketers, and I think it is exciting for the game.
"We want to maintain Test cricket as the soul of the game and what it stands for.
"We understand that T20 plays a very important role in the game and you are going to have specialist T20 cricketers. We need to accept that."
The third season of the IPL will begin next week and Kirsten said he would be in attendance for some of the games to take notes with one eye on the World Twenty20, which starts on April 30 in the West Indies.
"That's probably been our worst area of performance, the T20 World Cup, and we've got a bit of work to do there," added Kirsten. "We've got some ideas on how we want to take it forward. But it's been an area we realise we need to have a re-look at our strategies, re-look at our thinking and game plans.
"We will use this IPL time as a vehicle or platform to see what players are able to do the things that we need to do in a T20 game."
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
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Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5