London: Graham Gooch, a giant among batsmen (8,900 runs in Tests with 20 centuries; 4,290 runs in ODIs with 8 three-figure knocks) and a former England captain, spoke to The Telegraph from his Chelmsford residence on Sunday.

The following are excerpts

Q Your take on T20 cricket?

A I’m excited about it... The way it has caught the imagination of the world is phenomenal... There are a few justified concerns, though, and I’d like to see how the administrators retain the profile of traditional cricket... I’d like to see how they support it.

Has the ongoing edition of the World T20 impressed you?

The standard of fielding, in particular, has been good... I liked (Dwayne) Bravo’s innings against India the other day... In the same match, I’d liked Yuvraj Singh’s innings too... My belief is that batsmen who play proper shots are more likely to succeed than those who swing across the line... T20 encourages variations among bowlers and the bouncer is a good option if the boundary is long... The bowler, indeed, has to plan every ball.

Would you, a technically correct batsman, have enjoyed T20?

Think so... We used to play a lot of 40-over matches and, because of the weather, most would get reduced to 20 overs... So, I’ve actually played a number of T20 matches!

To what extent does temperament count in T20?

It’s important to have a cool head and to be composed... It’s too easy to get caught up with the moment, with the crowd going wild... However, a batsman, for example, has to target every ball instead of repeatedly trying to swing across the line... You’ve got to have a cool head if you’re chasing eight-nine or more an over.

What makes the difference in T20?

An exceptional fielding side, all-rounders and wicket-taking bowlers... As in any form of limited overs cricket, you’ve got to deny and break partnerships... Just as one session could cost you a Test match, one over or even one ball may make all the difference in T20... Nowadays, teams don’t have the fear of chasing seven-eight an over...

Is T20 actually for a thinking cricketer?

Yes, definitely... To be successful, you need to think... Bowlers need to read the mind of batsmen and the batsmen have to look for at least one boundary plus five-six more runs in every over... At most grounds, the par score would be in the region of 160-170.

Do you fear an overkill of T20?

Yes, it’s a bit of a cash cow isn’t it? I’d like the integrity and dignity of Test cricket to be retained... I wouldn’t like a situation where players only look to play in T20 tournaments, in the IPL or the leagues which will begin here in England and in Australia... T20 is enhancing the skills, but Test cricket should remain the ultimate test.

Is T20 a threat to other forms?

I wouldn’t like to promote too many T20 tournaments, because youngsters would then grow up thinking that’s the cricket to play.

T20 started in England, yet England’s performances have been anything but mind-blowing. Why?

We lack consistency... We’ve got match-winners like Kevin Pietersen and (Ravi) Bopara, but little consistency... Also, we don’t have many wicket-taking bowlers.

Shouldn’t England be having a more pro-active captain than Paul Collingwood?

They went back to him because of a lack of options... He’s the solid type, but the thing about captaincy is that you must have the want... It shouldn’t be that you’re asked ‘would you like to captain?’ or something similar.

How do you rate Team India?

India probably has the strongest all-round team in world cricket... The skills are there, the power-hitters are there... There’s variety in spin and Ishant Sharma hits the deck... I’ve been impressed with your team.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni as captain...

Dhoni has presence and has authority... I like captains to have a presence... It’s not easy for a wicket-keeper to captain, but he’s been doing well and I like his style of cricket... He calls it fairly straight which is a good quality to have.

Your dream T20 XI would be?

(Laughs) Oh, it’s a tough one... (After a pause) I’d go for the following: Chris Gayle, Herschelle Gibbs, Yuvraj, AB de Villiers, Bopara, Dhoni, Bravo, Wayne Parnell, Harbhajan Singh, Ajantha Mendis and Fidel Edwards... It’s possible that I’ve omitted somebody who should be there...

Who would be the captain?

Dhoni.

Coach?

Well, I’d go for somebody solid like Andy Flower... He’s a great guy to have in the dressing room.

The last one: Which team would your money be on?

Right now, on South Africa.