Phil Tufnell has staunchly defended The Hundred despite many pundits arguing the new tournament impact contributed to England's dismal Ashes showing.
The former spinner, who in April and May will be joined by Jonathan Agnew in hosting 20 live Test Match Special [TMS] tour events, called the new initiative "a revelation" after it captivated the public last summer.
Tufnell, 55, played 42 Test matches and 20 ODIs for England, taking 140 international wickets. He also became a legendary figure at Middlesex - where he played more than 300 first-class games and claimed over a 1000 scalps during a 16-year stint.
During the tour, Tufnell and Agnew are due to supply anecdotes from their own careers and regale amusing stories, while audiences will also be treated to previously unseen behind the scenes footage of the iconic radio programme.
However, 'The Cat' readily accepts that the game has now changed considerably since his retirement in 2002, with the introduction of T20 cricket, and subsequently The Hundred, prompting increased scoring rates and innovative techniques in white-ball cricket.
Inevitably, it's meant Tufnell has regularly found himself analysing formats that he can't associate with from his own career, but in an interview with The Mirror, lauded the progression.
"I love it," he declared. "I love embracing all the change. I'm a big fan of the T20 and I'm a big fan of The Hundred - I think that's been a revelation.
"The crowds, the people that came in, the colours, the smoke, the dancing and what have you. I thought it was a wonderful thing so when you've not played in it yourself, you're almost as excited as everyone else in a funny way.
"The skills, the demands, and plans you have to put into place are great and I enjoy the reverse ramp-shots as much as anyone."
England have been accused of putting too much emphasis on white-ball cricket since their dismal ODI World Cup showing in 2015, with legendary bowler James Anderson one of many calling for authorities to "redress the balance" following England's humbling 5-0 Ashes defeat in Australia this winter.
Tufnell himself has called for more red-ball games to be played in the middle of the summer, to ensure domestic players are able to play the red-ball format on better pitches.
However, he doesn't believe a complete overhaul of the system is necessary, and said the schedule could be tempered to allow the County Championship, and the white-ball tournaments, to all prosper.
"I love my Test Match Cricket and we've got to safeguard that, it's the pinnacle," he continued.
"But I love all these weird and wonderful deliveries and I think it's appealing."
Tufnell's upcoming tour comes at the tail-end of two decades with TMS, and he readily admits he always intended to stay involved in the game.
"It's a strange time for sportsmen and women when you know that time is around the corner and I thought it [playing cricket] would never end.
"I thought I would be playing cricket all my life and didn't have a lot of things put in place.
"I always wanted to stay somewhere involved in the game because it was one of the only things that I'd known. So to be given the opportunity - and then Question of Sport as well was a dream."
And you sense he has no intentions of stepping away from the commentary box anytime soon.
"We've got a great team at TMS and everyone who comes on says how much they enjoy listening, and the banter, and also the serious stuff as well," he said.
"It has been a wonderful 20 years."
Phil Tufnell and Jonathan Agnew will be on the road with The Test Match Special Tour throughout April and May 2022. Tickets available from www.fane.co.uk/tms.
