I am delighted that the process of eliminating the time-out (maybe marginalising is a more appropriate word at the moment) has begun. It was clear that it wasn't working, either for the spectators or the viewers, and that it had to go at some point. And it is nice to see that people are not being dogmatic about it. Two breaks of two and a half minutes each may not hurt the game as much though that can at best be a stop gap approach. In the years to come, I won't be surprised if it fades away completely for it must.

Stripped of its commercial flavour (my friends who watch American sport tell me there are many more commercial intrusions there), it was an attempt to pause, take a backward step and analyse. In theory good, but it goes against the real character of T20 cricket which, at its heart, is a relentless gladiatorial sport. It is cerebral, as all sport is at various levels from chess to boxing, (not WWE because that is not sport!) but its real appeal lies in instinct and the backing of instinct in a short time frame. T20 values people who think on their feet, it rewards initiative as different from the equally enticing Test match format where patience is a virtue, where a storm is allowed to pass and you have time to pick up the debris and rebuild. A time-out in T20 is a bit like allowing a 5-over hitting time in a Test match, it’s a bit out of place.

... contd.