I think we should not tamper with Test Cricket. If ICC and all the Boards promote Test as they do for T20's then a lot more people will start watching it.
Test cricket is revered for its tradition, strategy, and endurance. Whereas T20 has its own set of unique challenges and skill requirements that make it a legitimate and exciting form of the game. T20 cricket demands a different set of skills, focusing on quick decision-making, adaptability, and innovation. The success of Afghanistan against a strong Indian team in a T20 match may be attributed to their proficiency in these areas, not just the artificial levelling of the playing field.
Those kind of test matches are watchable..
T20 is first school for future cricketer to pass , some of them will continue their journey and make their place in test team .. Rejecting T20 is foolishness.We should not forget that shorter format is bread and butter of cricket from which we can afford the luxury called test cricket.. David Warner is prime example of a typical T20 player progressing to next level ..
This is irrelevant for any sport. The idea that a kid can’t get inspired seeing Shamar Joseph take wickets in a highlights package or a fan to be buzzing seeing bits and pieces coverage where they can to have loved a match is ridiculous. The same logic has never been applied in football, boxing or anything else. You can’t apply a weird quirk of yourself to the masses lol.
Ofcourse Test cricket over T20 everyday
Actually, T20 is extremely good to a player. Life changing in fact!
Nobody wants to see world class players playing an average of 15 to 20 balls. That is as much as a street cricketer plays. Besides a lot of world class players are not even picked for T20. Guys like Tim David a failure in first class is celebrated because he can score 10 ball 25 runs. Nobody wants forgettable hit and giggles outside league cricket. international t20 is the biggest joke i must say.
7-8 tests a year does not even come close to caring. PCB should be playing 15 a year if they really cared, and there was a demand.
You are right. T20 maybe exciting and all but can a player improve himself by playing just t20s? I guess nope.
Improve to/in what?
I do agree that international T20 should be done away with. Does not do anything.
Fans do care about Tests as much as T20s. WI and SA have enough talent to put out a great Test unit. we saw what they could do in Australia. The current Test series is widely followed by every fan not just Indian and England fans. As a Test fan, i followed WI vs Australia series very closely as well. Whenever there is a contest fans follow. Only when there is no contest do fans lose interest. T20 bridges the quality gap. That is just creating artificial entertainment. Nothing more. I rather prefer IPL over international T20 which is largely used for experiments. Cricket is the only sports subcontinent has. They are not good at any other sports. Why would a fan reject any type of cricket? That is just a myth. I know some pak fans who are ardent test fans.
If you say there is so much support and following for tests, why are there less and less of them being played? What used to be 6 and 5 test series declined to 3 and now to 2 and 1.
Posters keep saying this. But all evidence are to the contrary. A good amount of fans in majority test nations stay away. They just don't seem to care.
Tests are basically a television sport nowadays due to its multi day span. People have jobs. That explains the crowd.
In 2020s 156 tests played. During the exact period of 1990 to 1994 only 118 tests were played. In 2000s lot of teams were mor or less equal. Still they played only 201 tests with zimbabwe playing 34 tests. So it is a myth that less and less tests are played. India played 3 test series in the 2000s mostly. Then it became 4-tests. Now 5-tests. Quality has dropped as many teams are not that good in tests. Nothing to do with fan following.
Wow, Pakistan won the first Test match after two matches, while India won after 25. That was the difference, and now Pakistan's prime focus is on T20Is.
Who is playing these tests. I bet majority of the tests are played by Aus/Eng/Ind. The rest only play these two and one test "series". For example, Pak. probably only plays a max of two test unless it is with Aus or Eng.
When your team keeps on failing there will be a drop in quality. Not like they are setting the limited over format ablaze. They suck there too. What is the point of following when your team keeps on losing every format. Basically minnow mentality has taken over among fans. I am sure growing nations like Ireland, Afghanistan even BD would want to play more Tests as the exposure will be much better. I pretty much follow all the test series even the one that India isnot involved. Fans are not moving on. Fans know their team doesn't win anything so they pretend to hate "Test". lol
Tv numbers and people at the ground say a different story. Should not judge by Aus/Eng/Ind numbers. The other boards just do not want test cricket. Neither do the ICC.
I'll also pick the ODI format because in this you see the essence of all different formats of cricket. In the last overs you can enjoy T20 cricket and in the middle overs you can get the feel of Test cricket too.
I do not think this was done in any era of Test cricket except may be "black and white" era. Most of the time people would listen to commentary whenever the time permitted. Now you have cricinfo access literally anywhere. You just need to know score in Tests. We have work from home option, we have internet 24/7. Think about guys in the 80s, 70s who don't live near stadium. Nobody went and watched. If anything it was a lot tougher to do back in those days. I watched 4th day of Eden Gardens, 2001 test at the office. Entire India tour to Australia last time was epic. One of the most absorbing test series in history. Test matches are "followed" rather than "watched". This has been the case always.
Okay? I don't get what you're trying to say?
Nobody sit and watch all 5 days every over. That never happened in any era. It is not like suddenly we are "more busy". Working people are going to buy in any era. It is not like people in 70s had to wokr only 4 hours. They also had to work 8 hours or more.
And did I say that they were vela?
. Never said that, so no clue what you're on about.I say job shouldn't really hinder anyone from following Tests. Most of the guys who follow Tests do have jobs.And did I say that they were vela?
What other people watch or don't watch is irrelevant to me. I talked about myself and my own preferences and my own job schedule.
In which comment did I say, I can't watch test cricket because I'm busy, 1970 people were vela, lucky ducks.
I never said they don't,
Yeah cause of USA matches especially NY
You can never be an outstanding player by playing T20 cricket only. All these X-factor heroes used to play Test and 50 overs cricket. No one can achieve greatness without grinding himself.
I don't think Tests are meant to be watched in their entirety. Its impossible for any productive member of society to be able to do that. Tests are meant to be seen in patches and maybe on a Sunday you lay back on the sofa with a cold beverage and watch most of the fourth or fifth day of the test match.
Playing tests will not get you into IPL. Which is what modern cricketers aspire for. It will though get your name out for IPL bosses to see. But test technique is not what an IPL coach is looking for.
Arthouse cinema seems to be only for consumption by very few.
I agree. That is the current situation. But now more and more IPL recruits are directly scouted from domestic cricket of all countries. So going forward, things are bound to change. Players will become international stars based on T20.
But no one does or wants to play test cricket. It has now become a game for just three teams.
Arthouse cinema has substance and makes you think about everything from the cinematography to the story. Popcorn blockbusters are fun every now or then but can't be taken too seriously.
This is exactly why tests are dead. If people keep watching it in patches and catching highlights, how does the broadcaster make money? Because the broadcaster has to keep broadcasting the entirety of the match, the boards have to pay all the people involved in the ground for all days the matches are on. Which means money is being spent by them.
The problem though is the place serving the steak has no money to buy products to cook the steak! They have to beg for welfare handouts from the junk french fry people so they can serve steaks!
So wait, you think people not watching 5 day matches in their entirety is a new thing and hasn't been happening ever since test cricket started being broadcasted on TV? Which world are you living in? Even during the days of radio broadcasts nobody had the time to listen to the radio all day long.
No, I am not saying that this is new. But in the modern world, the economics do not work. If it did, all the boards will be jumping to schedule tests. Not resort to one and two test "series". With increasing costs and diminishing support, I do not see tests thriving.
That's because ICC's model is fundamentally screwed up and geared towards milking every last dime and making as much money as possible for three countries, but especially one country.
Equitable distribution of $$$$ was there for years. But those years where when boards like WI, SL, Zim went south big time. So money alone is not the answer.
Okay fair enough. But is the ICC willing to do even that? I don't think so. The first step to solving a problem is admitting there is one.
The ICC has no inclination put in any effort. Because that would actually involve them working for their paycheck. They are perfectly happy just sitting back and have BCCI money fall in their laps. Rewards without any effort.
