England don't deserve 5 Test tours of India and Australia

[Varun]

They are such an average advertisement for test cricket. 95% of the time the series result is either 4-0 or 4-1 or 5-0. Yes, they are a little more competitive at home but even there they can't replicate the domination that India and Australia show.

They have historically very rarely produced a batsman who averages 50+ or a bowler who averages 25-, so why do they get to play 5 tests at a time in these places?

 

[Nikhil_cric]

They are such an average advertisement for test cricket. 95% of the time the series result is either 4-0 or 4-1 or 5-0. Yes, they are a little more competitive at home but even there they can't replicate the domination that India and Australia show.

They have historically very rarely produced a batsman who averages 50+ or a bowler who averages 25-, so why do they get to play 5 tests at a time in these places?

5 Test series is absolutely essential when England tour India .

I love seeing these 4-1 , 5-0 type wins in Test cricket for us.

Properly exposes the difference in quality .

Otherwise , flukey knocks like Ollie Pope might happen and we would have won 2-1 in a 3 Test series with too many folks praising England for a hard fought series and bagging India for not being dominant at home.

 

[Swashbuckler]

Same could have been said about India in England before the 2022 tour. Let us not get arrogant, only team for whom arrogance suits is Australia.

 

[Swashbuckler]

I hope all 2 test series get converted to 3, 3 test series to 4 or 5. ECB does a great job by playing 3 test series even against West Indies and Sri Lanka.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Ask Jay Shah not to schedule them in for 5.

 

[Suleiman]

I hope all 2 test series get converted to 3, 3 test series to 4 or 5. ECB does a great job by playing 3 test series even against West Indies and Sri Lanka.

Yes. 2 test series is just as comical as 7 match t20 series (unless before a t20 WC).

No purpose whatsoever and a waste of everyone’s time.

 

[Ab Fan]

I think 4 tests is good enough for India, Australia and England.

3 tests are good enough for South Africa, New Zealand and Pakistan.

This is how it should be. But obviously there are other factors which comes into play which is why we have this variation of test series where India or Australia plays 5 tests series vs England while New Zealand plays only 2 tests series vs Australia or India.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Actually, England's test matches against India should be off 3-days. Because they cannot service the game for 5-days. Save few days for the fans and board.

 

[jnaveen1980]

I am okay with 5 tests. But gap is too much between tests.

 

[MP2011]

England deserves to play 5-tests series as they're one of the very few teams who still take tests seriously.

5-tests series must be reserved for India, Australia & England only. These are top-3 dawgs in test cricket and who (mostly) don't let their intensity drop as the series progresses even after a few hiccups early on in the series.

 

[MP2011]

I am okay with 5 tests. But gap is too much between tests.

May be reintroduce practice games between tests as used to happen earlier?

 

[160KPH]

I don’t think the number of Test matches has much to do with the skill between teams. I think the reason India, England, and Australia play 5 match Test series amongst each other is due to it making financial sense - they’re the only teams for which Test cricket remains lucrative and of course it’s even more lucrative when they play each other.

That’s why I believe New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Bangladesh play tons of 2 Test series - it just does not make much financial sense any more.

 

[James]

I don’t think the number of Test matches has much to do with the skill between teams. I think the reason India, England, and Australia play 5 match Test series amongst each other is due to it making financial sense - they’re the only teams for which Test cricket remains lucrative and of course it’s even more lucrative when they play each other.

That’s why I believe New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Bangladesh play tons of 2 Test series - it just does not make much financial sense any more.

Correct. It’s about money not merit. England v India or Australia in England across 5 Tests btw is usually very good.

Fwiw I agree that England aren’t competitive enough away from home in India and Australia, and this needs to change — although they have got better on “other tours” since the days of them barely even being able to get a draw away against anyone, so there is some small hope of further improvement.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Correct. It’s about money not merit. England v India or Australia in England across 5 Tests btw is usually very good.

Fwiw I agree that England aren’t competitive enough away from home in India and Australia, and this needs to change — although they have got better on “other tours” since the days of them barely even being able to get a draw away against anyone, so there is some small hope of further improvement.

Whatever be the results, England are bringing back people to test matches. I hope they don't tinker too much with this approach, and continue proving entertainment. I switched on the TV for test matches after a long time, otherwise it is usually checking the scorecard at the end of the day.

 

[SamNJ]

Scoreline doesn't indicate that it has actually been a good competitive series. England sort of let the advantage go multiple times.
Other than Dharamshala and last 2 days of Rajkot, England were in the game every match.

England in Australia though are a different story. For some reason they just haven't been able to compete at all in a single test in last 15 Tests there.

 

[adi_62941]

Back in 1970s and 80s, Pakistan used to have 5 test series against England, India etc. But now we are reduced to max 2 match series, even that comes once in 2 years.
5 test match series is a fortress of cricket and should be played between 8 full time members. I think only rich boards can afford test cricket now, a harsh reality

 

[Buffet]

I liked 5 tests series. Rest of them should play 3-4 tests series. Minnows can play 2 tests.

I absolutely hate 2 tests ones. I don't think any non-minnows should play 2 tests. They serve no purpose.

Aus wanted to play 3 tests in NZ. India wanted to play 3 tests in SA. In both cases, hosts wanted to play 2 tests. Since it's reciporcal, we see so many 2 tests.

Also, Eng was actually in the game in all tests except the last one. 3 tests were pretty close ones.

 

[Buffet]

Scoreline does not indicate how interesting series was for the first 4 tests.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Test cricket has been made limited for the top nations only like India, England and Australia. I don't thing anything will change and these teams will keep on playing more number of games then any other country.

 

[Mockingbird]

Playing a long 5 match series in a fortress like India must be mentally the most exhausting thing in cricket. So commiserations to all the visiting teams who have to undergo this trial by fire. I know they got a lot of flak for their Dubai trip, but IMO England did well to take a complete break from cricket mid-series.

Having said that, love a good 5 match series!

 

[Red-Indian]

I am okay with 5 tests. But gap is too much between tests.

I think it's time to think about 4 day tests or atleast schedule as if tests are 4 dayers. In any case, most tests last 3 or 4 days nowadays and taking out that extra day of rest creates that tiny bit of extra room in the crowded calendar.

 

[SportsWarrior]

Five tests were great. But too much free time in between the tests. Every match can start on a Friday and they rarely go to fifth day anyway. This second and third day, which are the interesting days falls on weekends.

 

[SportsWarrior]

Correct. It’s about money not merit. England v India or Australia in England across 5 Tests btw is usually very good.

Fwiw I agree that England aren’t competitive enough away from home in India and Australia, and this needs to change — although they have got better on “other tours” since the days of them barely even being able to get a draw away against anyone, so there is some small hope of further improvement.

I though England were competitive. Only Australia will be more competitive in india. If England has used some common sense, which seems to be a rarity in their dressing room, they could have walked away with atleast one more win. Indian batting in this series was probably the most inexperienced in the last few decades. Just too many brain fade moments from England side. It was an enjoyable series.

 

[Mesozoic]

Harsh..

England were just one Dhruv Jhurel wicket away from making it 2-2 in Ranchi and this series would have ended up looking much different. Very small margins..

 

[JaDed]

Honestly I love it , it’s a blockbuster test series, no one will remember Karun Nair except for his triple ton against them.

 

[Statpadder Inc]

Out of all SENA teams, eng has performed the best in India, they deserve 5 tests

 

[Swashbuckler]

Imagine if other big teams had this kind of attitude towards us when we were not doing that great. The legendary West Indies teams obliged us with 5 test series throughout the 70s and 80s. I notice this among Indians, moment we win something, we show fake bravado and start uttering nonsense that playing others is a waste of time, beneath us, we are too good for others etc.

Australia is the other end of the spectrum, they say we'll keep playing you and keep rubbing your face on the dirt. That is the difference between champions and us, we can't win an ICC trophy despite all the resources available. A tiny island country from South Asia has 2 test series wins in SENA countries and a WT20 trophy in the last 10 years and yet so humble.

Unless India has similar achievements as Australia, which let us be honest won't be possible in our lifetimes, all this strutting only evokes mirth and pity.

 

[RexRex]

Honestly I love it , it’s a blockbuster test series, no one will remember Karun Nair except for his triple ton against them.

The breaks in between were too lengthy for this concluded series. Somebody told me that the long break in between 4rth and 5th test was due to the 3-day Ambani wedding fest.

 

[Statpadder Inc]

Imagine if other big teams had this kind of attitude towards us when we were not doing that great. The legendary West Indies teams obliged us with 5 test series throughout the 70s and 80s. I notice this among Indians, moment we win something, we show fake bravado and start uttering nonsense that playing others is a waste of time, beneath us, we are too good for others etc.

Australia is the other end of the spectrum, they say we'll keep playing you and keep rubbing your face on the dirt. That is the difference between champions and us, we can't win an ICC trophy despite all the resources available. A tiny island country from South Asia has 2 test series wins in SENA countries and a WT20 trophy in the last 10 years and yet so humble.

Unless India has similar achievements as Australia, which let us be honest won't be possible in our lifetimes, all this strutting only evokes mirth and pity.

The same australia that didnt tour ind for a decade, the only reason they regularly started playing with India was because of the finanacial might of the BCCI and aus havent invited bang for over 2 decades now.

Even eng only invited sl for a one off test during thier peak in the 90s and I cant remember the last time they played zimbabwe.