Allan Border questions official status

Alan Border, the former Australian great, has questioned the decision to award official Test and ODI status to the Super Series matches and considers it a "slap in the face" of all former cricketers.

Border wrote in his column in The Indian Express: "I firmly believe that this status should be restricted to matches between national sides. Test cricket is an institution that has been built up over a period of 128 years, and it should not be tampered with. In my view, the elevation of the six-day game to `Test match' status is like a slap in the face of all the former cricketers who have contributed to making Test cricket the ultimate form of the game since 1877. Granting `first-class' status is fine, as was done in the case of the Bicentenary game in 1987. But anything more than that is simply not on."

He also raised doubts about the possible commitment levels of the World XI players in the Super Series matches. Acknowledging that the players from different countries have "gelled very well" during practice, he nevertheless remained sceptical: "The Australians will be passionate as they will be representing their country. The talent of the World XI players cannot be doubted, but will they be able to feel as much for their team as they do for their respective countries on the field of play?"