NEW DELHI: India great Kapil Dev believes the national side remains among the strongest teams in T20 cricket heading into the World Cup, but stressed that Test cricket must continue to remain the backbone of the sport.

Reflecting on India’s preparation, Kapil said the rise of the shortest format should not come at the cost of the longer versions, which he feels are vital for the game’s overall growth and balance.

"I think there are two ways of looking at it. In T20 cricket, no doubt our team is one of the best—you can always have a bad day. But if you are talking about cricket, you have to talk about Test cricket," the 1983 World Cup-winning captain told PTI Video.

"One-day cricket should also not be ignored. I understand that T20 is thrilling, but the base of the game is Test cricket, and we should be investing more time in it, along with one-day cricket as well.”

Kapil leaves India Pakistan call to authorities

Arch-rivals India and Pakistan are scheduled to face each other in Group A on February 15 in Colombo.

When asked whether the two teams should play each other amid political tensions, Kapil made it clear that such decisions were beyond the remit of former players and said he fully supports the country’s stance.

"It’s not fair for people like me to make statements on this. It is the government’s call or the cricket board’s call.

"Whatever decision they take, I will stand by it because I prefer to stand by my country and not make loose statements. Many cricketers across the border like to do that—I don’t. I choose to stand with my country, and whatever policy they have, I am with them.”

Former captain cautious on coaching debate

Asked whether India’s recent Test losses to New Zealand and South Africa warranted separate coaches for different formats, Kapil refused to be drawn into the debate and said such matters should be left entirely to the board’s think tank.

"I think it’s not fair for me to give an answer like that. Whatever decision is taken, it should lead to the best result. The people who are sitting there and making decisions about Test cricket, One-Day cricket, and T20, that is their job," Kapil said.

"For people like us, it’s very easy to make statements out of the blue, but I don’t like doing that. It is the responsibility of the cricket board and its think tank, whoever they may be, to decide what is best for Test cricket, One-Day cricket, and T20Is.

"If three coaches are required, they should appoint three. If two are required, appoint two. If one coach is good enough, then that’s fine too. It all depends on what the think tank decides."

(With PTI Inputs)