Rule changes: IPL can take a leaf out of SA20, feels Kevin Pietersen

The IPL can take a leaf out of the SA20 playbook by implementing the latest T20 league’s “innovative” rule changes and take the entertainment quotient to another level, says former England captain Kevin Pietersen.

Pietersen has emerged as a huge advocate of the changes the SA20 has brought about, like allowing each captain the liberty to nominate 13 players to take the field at the toss and select their final XI afterwards are among changes the inaugural South African league offers.

“I don’t mind the new rules. I think the new rules are very, very good. The toss doesn’t play too much of a role. I like the innovation that SA 20 has brought to the game. I think that’s brilliant,” Pietersen said.

“Offering bonus points is also a great idea. You can see bonus point has played a role here. I mean, you want to change the rules to make it more entertaining for everybody.

“Then why not keep progressing. Keep changing the game. Keep making it more entertaining. And also keep the players on their toes. I think the IPL can also implement this.” The interaction was arranged by Sports18 and Jio Cinema.

Viacom 18, IPL’s digital rights media holders, is beaming the South African league to Indian viewers.

Speaking about England’s ultra-aggressive approach to the game and the success it has brought them, Pietersen said India must also look to play in the same manner.

“It’s the mindset. I think they’ve got a coach that is making sure that they’re not scared of failing. They’re not worried about failure. If you get out there, probably, they don’t care about getting out, they just go out and play without fear of failure.

“I think India should follow it. I think India bats too slowly, despite have the players. They have the players, but still. They must go out there and emulate what England are doing.

“You saw what Australia used to do in cricket all those years ago. People started to match Australia or England, or change the way the shortest form of the game was played. Even Test match cricket…” Pietersen tried his hand in owing a T20 league franchise, but could not succeed owing to a lack of sufficient funds. The batting great, though, has not ruled out owing one in the future.

“I was one of the bidders. Yes, I wanted to buy one of the teams. But then, you wouldn’t have enough money to own the teams…

“It’s a space that interests me. I don’t know if that’s a possibility. But it interests me yes, yes.” Asked if the sport would be better off without the ODI format, especially bilateral rubbers without context, Pietersen said it is difficult to arrive at a definitive conclusion at the moment.

“We can’t say that cricket would be better off without ODIs, because we’re not there yet. But we may see it in future though the World Cup is such a valuable item, right? “In my career, I was able to win everything, except for the 50 over World Cup. We won the Ashes, we beat India In India, we won the T20 World Cup. Huge.. I mean these are big things that you can achieve in your career. And I never got the 50 over World Cup. So it’s one of those regrets.

“So we’ll see. We’ll see where it is. Will it be good for the game? We don’t know. Will it be bad for the game? We don’t know. We don’t know yet. But can we see it happening? I think we can’t see it happening yet.” Speaking about the shortest format, he said it is here to stay, primarily because of the money involved, besides the entertainment quotient.

“It’s here to stay, there’s too much money in T20s. Now 50-over cricket seems like a very, very long day of cricket. I don’t think you get that entertainment in the 50 over game as much as you get in T20s. Something will need to be looked at.

“I also fear for Test cricket. And I’ve said that for a very long time that I worry about Test cricket and worry that instant gratification that all of us want could harm Test cricket.

“(Say, for example) now we’re on an aeroplane and I’m speaking to people in three different planes in three different places, talking about work. So that instant gratification is what is actually, I think, hurting the longer form of the games. I think it’s hurting 50-over cricket in particular. And then I think that the longest form of the game.

“That’s where my worry is, because I love Test cricket. I have played over 100 Test matches. And I think that really teaches you who you are as a person.”