Man United Legend Gary Neville: 'Grew Up Watching Test Cricket But Now I'm Confused By...'

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville reminisces watching Test cricket at his grandmother's and expresses confusion over One Day and T20 formats.

Manchester United’s legendary ex-defender Gary Neville has revealed he grew up watching Test cricket ‘all day’ at his grandmother’s place, but now is confused by the domination of the One Day and T20 formats. He said he has been to several Test matches live but not even once to a white-ball game.

Neville’s point of view, as a former fan, that Test cricket now fits into ODI calendars, is not far off from the reality. He also understands that the drop in attention spans across the world has affected the oldest format of cricket, but believes that limited-overs cricket cannot replicate the psychological thrill of Tests.

“I don’t watch as much as I used to," Neville said on the Stick to Cricket podcast. “Growing up, I think of the school holidays and I think of it being on and I think of lying there on the settee at my nan’s, watching cricket all day. Test cricket, all day. And now, I am a little bit confused by it. By everything. Like the different formats. I am not a fan of One Day cricket or 20-20 and all that stuff. I am just not a fan of it. I am sure there’s a place for it, people love it, they fill the crowds, brings more money which is great and television are paying more for it.

“I get that but I just think, I don’t know Test cricket is almost, I don’t even know when Test cricket, it seems to just slot into the One Day calendar rather than the Test calendar. I don’t know if that popular or unpopular opinion but it’s how I feel about it. I have never been to a One Day match," Neville added.

Football, despite being several times more popular and richer than cricket, is suffering from the same issue. Though football matches typically run half as long as a T20 match, there have still been widespread calls to reduce them further.

“I would say for me, I know that people want to watch more exciting forms of what would be sports. And I get it completely. Football’s coming under that spotlight as well with people watching highlights and packages. I just love Test cricket and always have. The endurance, the struggle, the fact that I know it would be tough to field for 2 days and then go out and have to bat and psychologically and then you know that you have done this all your life. Ups and downs and for me that’s why I love watching. So, I have never been to a one-day match in my life. But I have been to a number of Test matches," Neville added.

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