There’s a bit too much bonhomie for my liking: McGrath

Glenn McGrath may not have had the modesty to spare in his prime, but dressed in party pink and safely propped on the other side of a video call, the ‘Pigeon’ seems fairly genial and humble.

Not only does the Australian great downplay how impactful he would have been against this generation - one which is lost on technique and patience - but he has also learnt to acknowledge batsmen and their travails.

For a man who many believed to be a bowling machine only 14 or so summers ago, McGrath is easy with a smile now but he is about as precise with his syntax as he was with his bowling.

Excerpts:

How effective would you have been in this day and age?

It’s hard to say. I think one of my strengths was to adapt to different conditions so I’d like to think I would have fared about as decently as I did when I played (he had 563 wickets in 124 Tests). If someone is playing away from their body, especially when the ball is bouncing or seaming, for me it always felt like it was only a matter of time before they edged one. The mindset of the batsmen these days is that they are looking to be more aggressive, score more runs and fast. Any player who was a great in his era, whether he was a bowler or a batsman, would be able to adapt to different eras. I think T20 cricket has brought a different kind of player to the game so would I be successful, who knows?! But I don’t think I would want to play in any era but the one I played in.

Given T20 cricket’s rise, do you think Test cricket is on its last legs?

It has always been a concern to me especially with the way T20 cricket has come and how well it’s doing. The new people coming into the game want to be entertained all the time, it’s all about the excitement. Hopefully, Test cricket will be held in high regard. To me, that’s up to the players, to want to play international Test cricket. If you have a crop of young cricketers who still want to play Test cricket for their country, I think Test cricket will survive and be respected. The short formats can have a positive impact in increasing scoring rates and improving fielding standards and so on, but it isn’t Test cricket. The charm of Test cricket cannot be lost on people, not yet.

Over the last decade, batting averages for each wicket have dropped considerably, especially opening partnerships. Do you think there’s a specific reason for it?

It’s definitely not one thing. I think the quality of the bowlers has been good this decade. Even if you look at Australia and India right now, they are two world-class bowling units. Also, I think batting teams have been doing well in their own conditions and they don’t travel so well. Batsmen are prone to playing strokes because of T20 cricket, so their assessment of a delivery isn’t always best suited for Test cricket. They don’t work on defence like they used to. Most importantly, as a mentality, batsmen don’t build innings on defence like (Cheteshwar) Pujara does anymore. He’s a rarity in this day and age.

Do you think Australia have lost their teeth a bit when it comes to aggression and is the IPL responsible for it?

Probably. When I played, there was always a bit of banter, a little chat. I wouldn’t like to call it sledging because it has a negative connotation. I don’t think banter is personal or abusive, and it should be within the spirit of the game. Before when I played against India, that was the only time I was really interacting with them and also, they were my opponents.

We would be cordial off the field but we were hard-nosed competitors on the field. With the IPL, you’re teammates with Indian players and you get to know them personally and you can’t help but lose that edge. You become friends and there’s a bit too much bonhomie for my liking. Honestly, I don’t mind them being friendly, but definitely not too friendly.