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Should the away Test side get to decide whether to bat or bowl?

Snatch

Tape Ball Captain
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Sep 2, 2016
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I remember it being discussed a few years ago, and I think they should try it in Test cricket. The away side gets to choose. How much would this impact the pitch preparation?

Case in point, Pakistan have won every toss on this tour so far and are still getting beaten comfortable, so a good enough side can still win even losing important tosses.
 
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Bad idea. It's okay when Asian teams visit SENA and vice versa.

When it comes to tests with two teams from same region, it will be too much advantage for the visitors.

Imagine India to tour Pakistan and deciding what to choose in every match.
 
NO.

Apart from many other factors discussed in past, I’ll pick another insights from last two Tests - at MCG & in NZ.

The bowling combination for a particular Test. Hardly anyone picks batsman for a particular track, but bowlers are picked based on the wicket. This is where toss has its uncertainty that helps the better all-round teams.

India went at MCG with a fantastically balanced attack and they would have batted first had they win the toss (or if there was no toss), and still their attack was perfectly suited for defending on 4th innings. At actual, they bowled first and three pacers bowled well on first morning.

PAK went with Yasir and opted to bowl first - this was a call they decided before the toss and kept Yasir in playing XI, considering that if Kiwis win the toss and inverts them... had it been decided that PAK (tourists) gets the chance to take the decision without toss, I’m almost certain PAK would have gone with four pacers, may be 5 pacers. Similarly, teams touring Asia would have picked three spinners every time and bat first.

The game is beautiful with its uncertainty and the toughest job in cricket is to win away series - the reason for the that is the diversity of playing surface and the uncertainty of the toss - let it remain like that.
 
Bad idea. It's okay when Asian teams visit SENA and vice versa.

When it comes to tests with two teams from same region, it will be too much advantage for the visitors.

Imagine India to tour Pakistan and deciding what to choose in every match.


Imagine India touring Pakistan. :wahab
 
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