Melbourne: Former West Indies captain Carl Hooper feels the Indian Premier League is "one of the biggest threats" to international cricket right now.
"One of the biggest threats facing cricket is the IPL," Hooper told `The Advertiser` here.
Hooper said the West Indies team, which recently won the World Twenty20 (the team`s first major trophy in 33 years), could lose its way if the Board does not hand out central contracts to the players, who are being lured by the cash-awash IPL.
Players, including superstar opener Chris Gayle, were at loggerheads with the Board for a long time and some of them like spinner Sunil Narine and allrounder Dwayne Bravo missed Test duty to play in the IPL.
"The spectators want to see the best players. If I looked up and saw no Gayle or key players named to play I would just say forget about it, stay home," said Hooper.
"They have to figure out a way to get our key players contracted."
Hooper said if players such as Narine get Board contract, they would be compelled to don national colours ahead of leagues such as IPL.
"If Narine has a central contract that would mean he would have to play for the West Indies," said Hooper.
"We want to have our best cricketers playing each and every time we take the park," he added.
"I am old fashioned, I believe in Test cricket. If you have a solid base in Test cricket you can adjust your game to suit any other format."
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.