Melbourne, Dec 16 : Australian Test wicket-keeper Brad Haddin has reckoned that he is excited to be a part of the Big Bash League, which, he feels, would retain its popularity.

''''I''m one of those [purists] as well. Test cricket''s still the purest form of the game, and always something everyone will strive to get to. But this is also something new, and it''s exciting as well. It''d be disappointing if the purists of the game weren''t out here watching,'''' The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Haddin, as saying.

''''If you look around the world, when it first started, people were thinking, ''maybe this is a fad'', but I think we''ve seen the results, that it is a format to stay,'''' he added.

Haddin said he is excited to be participating in Australia’s first Big Bash Tournament.

''''In my cricket career, I''ve never been a part of something that''s started from the ground up. You get the chance to put your stamp on it straight away, and take it in the direction that you want to go,” he said.

“After playing for such a long time, that excites me. I think it excites the whole group. It was a big motivation for me, to be a part of this. Everyone''s been looking forward to this since the day it got announced,'''' he added.

Haddin was unperturbed over the fact that the Big Bash League marks a switching over of the cricket format from Test matches to Twenty 20.

''''With the way cricket is in this day and age, you roll from a Twenty20 to a one-dayer to a Test series, and then you''ll start the next tour,'''' he said. (ANI)