Those who say that Tests are greater than Limited Overs Internationals...

[Leo23]

do you honestly think the pak team or sarfraz would have received the grand reception from the supporters back home had they returned from winning a test series in aus, eng or sa?

when misbah received the test mace in sept last year no one in the country cared. there were no celebrations no tributes no misbah standing on his house balcony showing the made to hundreds of ppl filling up the streets etc

the superiority of test format over odis and t20s is a new concept for me something that i learned only after reading this forum. in the actual world no one prefers tests. in the 21st century which student or working individual has the time to watch a match that runs for 7 hrs and 5 days?

 

[Godhelpma]

Closely fought tests over bilateral limited over cricket any day for me. Boring run feasts that happens every now and then , can not be compared to tests. Although I agree tests are sometimes boring too especially in UAE , even then I prefer tests over bilateral LOIs.The test cricket has become very competitive now-a-days. No of drawn tests have reduced drastically .So i think popularity of test cricket is on rise . My claim is also supported by presence of highest no of audience on the first day in the opening test of pak -Aus series this year.

 

[RobinJay]

Difference between winning a series and a tournament trophy, regardless of it being for Tests or LOIs.

Tests over ODIs and T20s always anyways. Limited over cricket has, for the most part, become who can hit the hardest and the farthest. You open up more aspects of cricket in Tests and that is more appreciable and entertaining.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Tests are comfortably the best format. I remember there being a lot of celebration after we got the Test mace. Don't know where you live.

 

[Varun]

Of course there will be celebrations if Pakistan were to win an overseas test series.

However, there wouldn't be if Pakistan won an ODI bilateral series anywhere in the world.

World Cups, Champions Trophies, World T20s are different. They aren't simple head to head games.

 

[The Googly]

Tests is the true and purest form of cricket. The true ability of a player is judged by test natch performance.

If Pakistan beat India in a test series in India or Aus in Australia - i would be as happy as for the ct win.

 

[Leo23]

Tests are comfortably the best format. I remember there being a lot of celebration after we got the Test mace. Don't know where you live.

it was not even 10% of the ct celebrations. it is stupid to suggest otherwise.

99% of the ppl in pak would rather win the wc, ct or t20 wc rather than win a test series in any country. it sums up how outdated and useless the test format has become. i guess there are too many jobless people on this forum.

 

[Leo23]

Of course there will be celebrations if Pakistan were to win an overseas test series.

However, there wouldn't be if Pakistan won an ODI bilateral series anywhere in the world.

World Cups, Champions Trophies, World T20s are different. They aren't simple head to head games.

those celebrations will not even be comparable to the ct one and that is because the majority people won't even bother to watch

 

[King-Misbah]

General public rate world cup and Champions Trophy more. Thpse who believe otherwise are living in a bubble. I prefer 20 and 50 over cricket, no one has time for 5 days cricket. Actually, just look at ground attendances and in general a T20 match thumps test matches.

 

[Kianig89]

Tests overall are greater than ODis the joy which Chennai 99 and Abu Dhabi 2012 gave me was endless

 

[Leo23]

Tests is the true and purest form of cricket. The true ability of a player is judged by test natch performance.

If Pakistan beat India in a test series in India or Aus in Australia - i would be as happy as for the ct win.

if tests are superior to limited overs then why do a lot of test players fail in limited overs ?

also it does not answer my question in my first post

 

[Leo23]

General public rate world cup and Champions Trophy more. Thpse who believe otherwise are living in a bubble. I prefer 20 and 50 over cricket, no one has time for 5 days cricket. Actually, just look at ground attendances and in general a T20 match thumps test matches.

exactly

players returning from winning overseas test series will be welcomed by a handful people only and not hundreds of people with celebrations carrying for weeks and weeks and players getting millions of rs and gifts

 

[boomboomcheema]

These online forums are the only place where these Test Fanatics exist. Not in the real world.

Lol @ Celebrations when Misbah won the Mace, fabricating stories to make yourself happy. Poor Test Fanatics.

Nobody gives a crap about winning either a Test Tournament or some Test Number 1 Ranking.

 

[Abdullah719]

if tests are superior to limited overs then why do a lot of test players fail in limited overs ?

also it does not answer my question in my first post

The same point can be applied vice versa.

Also, popularity does not determine greatness.

 

[Shaka81]

Personally a knockout competition will always be worth more than a test series or rankings over a long period of time.
I also prefer T20s, then ODIs and the least interesting Tests.

 

[czar]

It's not even up for debate that 92 WC for Pakistan or 2011 WC for India were by far the most memorable and most cherished Sporting memories for respective Nations that are still remembered to this day and will be got generations to come.

Imran and Kapil Paji lifting the Cup during their WC Victories are some memories ghat I constantly grew up watching on TV. Never saw any Captain lifting Test Trophy which was shown again and again on Television.

Nothing even remotely comes closer to that.

Who cares about an odd Test Win here and there. Most people aren't even aware of them, leave alone celebrating a victory that they deem useless.

 

[RobinJay]

it was not even 10% of the ct celebrations. it is stupid to suggest otherwise.

99% of the ppl in pak would rather win the wc, ct or t20 wc rather than win a test series in any country. it sums up how outdated and useless the test format has become. i guess there are too many jobless people on this forum.

Difference between winning a head to head SERIES and a WORLD TOURNAMENT. That still does not disregard the importance or popularity of a particular format. You may enjoy the more fickle formats of cricket but many others prefer the longer one. Lets leave it at that.

 

[super hitter]

Haven't watched a series after the 2012 tests against England.

You win or you loose you just don't feel it.

 

[Hasan123]

I would rather win an icc event than win a test series. But that doesn't mean test cricket isn't important. I think it doesn't attract the casual viewers but the hardcore fans still watch test cricket.

 

[ExplicitAI]

I'd rather win an ICC trophy (mainly the ODI WC) but Tests are the best format and superior to both ODI's and T20's.

 

[Leo23]

The same point can be applied vice versa.

Also, popularity does not determine greatness.

it is a sport and sport is an entertainment. entertainment is nothing without the people who pay to watch it. if people prefer limited overs and it is more popular than tests then it automatically becomes the greater format

 

[Zaz]

Test cricket is the real deal Yes it may not be as popular among the majority of fans but its the format which is the toughest as a player

It tests everything courage, patience, technique and skill

The saying still is true today, a test player can play the other formats but not all odi players can play the test format

Its the format where greats are made No one remembers odi greats

 

[Sarwar89]

Test Cricket started in 1877, while one day cricket started in 1971. One of the prime reasons why Pakistanis got so much fascinated with winning big Tournaments was due to Legendary Pakistani Hockey team winning Olympic Gold Medal matches in 1960,68 then Hockey World cup in 1971 ( beating india in tense semi final, at that time 1971 war was on its way) and later on winning further world cups in 78, 82 and champions trophy 78,80, such glorious big tournamemt wins gave earlier generations of Pakistanis sense of superiority and pride, it definitely reflected in Pakistani cricket team, which closely lost the 1979 world cup cricket semi final against West indies. From there on it became a national obsession. ( beating india in test series 1978 technically brought back interest in cricket after 17 years of pure interest in hockey). When Pakistan lost 1983,87 world cup semi finals, obsession became even stronger and it was fulfilled in 1992. Lets also not ignore Australasia cup wins 1986,90,94 and Nehru Cup on indian soil 1989. But it was Our Hockey team which produced the greatest and finest Pakistan's sports performance by winning 1982 Hockey world cup
On Indian Soil in front of Mrs Indira Gandhi and then won 1984 Olympic Gold Medal. Hockey team
Did not stop there reached 1990 hockey world cup final at Gaddafi and won it in 1994. Our prime reason of being obsessed for winning big tournaments in cricket actually originated from Hockey. Test Cricket too had its high points, beating india in india 1987 resulted in huge celebrations and winning test matches in Chennai 99 and Calcutta 99. Remember average attendance for Calcutta 99 test was 100000 during first 4 days. One can never ignore Test Cricket
And reason is very simple, Sri lanka and Newzealand are always considered as bish bosh modern teams with little history and prime reason is they have never ever reached No 1 Status in Test Cricket. Pakistan has done it twice 1988 and 2016. So
In the eyes of Geoff Boycot Ian Chappel and old Test guard veterans we have respect.

 

[Leo23]

Test cricket is the real deal Yes it may not be as popular among the majority of fans but its the format which is the toughest as a player

It tests everything courage, patience, technique and skill

The saying still is true today, a test player can play the other formats but not all odi players can play the test format

Its the format where greats are made No one remembers odi greats

i can provide you with names of many successful test players who have flopped in limited overs. this thinking is highly outdated

 

[mak36]

Test cricket heard you OP and responded in style- today's play (England v SA) summed up why test cricket is considered the better format.

 

[boomboomcheema]

Test cricket heard you OP and responded in style- today's play (England v SA) summed up why test cricket is considered the better format.

Yeah the whole Universe watched SA scoring 309/6 , even more people than Wimbledon.

What a classic day it has been. Talk about beating your won chest.

 

[mak36]

Yeah the whole Universe watched SA scoring 309/6 , even more people than Wimbledon.

What a classic day it has been. Talk about beating your won chest.

Someone has a bee in their bonnet- chill out, it's a discussion forum.

 

[MMHS]

A win in ICC event is celebrated more, because it comes in every 4 year (OK, now almost every year in different format) & it's a contest between all/top sides in one common platform. That comparison isn't fair - even if it's a series win in AUS for any Asian side.

Rather, if I put a hypothetical scenario that, 10 (now 12) teams, play home & away Test series for 4 years & then top 4 to 6 teams are hosted in one country (IND, AUS or ENG), where each plays each other once or twice over 10 weeks & then top 2 sides fight it out in a timeless (or say 6 day) Test at Eden, MCG or Lord's .............. for me, now the comparison is like Ali - Frazier vs Mayweather - McGregor

Duration of Test match has no issues even in 21st century - it's about following the game. My dad skipped school to watch Sobers in 1959 (& almost got rusticated), I follow Test on my palm top. That's the change brought by technology. A classic example I can give is, last movie I saw in cinema hall was probably in last millennium - but, doesn't mean movie has lost it's appeal to me, because I watch it now in Netflix.

Millennials have to put better logic in front of me to justify why I won't watch that 3rd Test between WI-PAK, rather the slog feast, where 80% matches become academic by half way.

 

[Leo23]

Test cricket heard you OP and responded in style- today's play (England v SA) summed up why test cricket is considered the better format.

a "better" format that majority don't care about....

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

I like tests the most but lois are favorite for general public.
Almost 95% Pakistanis I know watched CT especially Pak-Ind final but dont think more than 20% watch test matches.

Also a tournament victory in odis which comes after 4 years is special and winning against India in a final makes it ten times more special.

 

[Leo23]

Test cricket heard you OP and responded in style- today's play (England v SA) summed up why test cricket is considered the better format.

and "considered" better by whom? 5% of the world?

 

[Markhor]

The celebrations will obviously be greater when you win a tournament compared to obtaining a numerical ranking.

If there was a "Test Championship final" as is being mooted by ICC, where we beat India, there probably will be celebrations too.

It is true though that in the SC, limited overs takes precedence over Tests bar the purists which predominate on this forum. If you want to be a superstar in the SC, your performances in LOIs count for a lot. Take Shahid Afridi. He did little of note in Tests but his hundred in Nairobi in an ODI in 1996 turned him into a commercial machine, national celebrity and cricketer all in one.

 

[Billy1999]

do you honestly think the pak team or sarfraz would have received the grand reception from the supporters back home had they returned from winning a test series in aus, eng or sa?

when misbah received the test mace in sept last year no one in the country cared. there were no celebrations no tributes no misbah standing on his house balcony showing the made to hundreds of ppl filling up the streets etc

the superiority of test format over odis and t20s is a new concept for me something that i learned only after reading this forum. in the actual world no one prefers tests. in the 21st century which student or working individual has the time to watch a match that runs for 7 hrs and 5 days?

How did cricket come about?

Yes guys played with hockey sought of bats and used to make 100 runs in 90 overs in a day,if this didn't happen I'm afraid the sport would have died out and we wouldn't be commenting on cricket but hockey

 

[Last Monetarist]

Last year's drawn test series in England and the ascent to the number 1 test ranking was easily a bigger achievement than the fluke win at the Champions Trophy, and no number of fans turning up at airports around the country to greet the team will change my opinion.

 

[RobinJay]

a "better" format that majority don't care about....

Quality isn't judged by popularity...

 

[marlonbrowndo]

If quality was judged by quantity then that would mean that Drake or Future are good artists and Fast and Furious movies are actually good.

 

[super hitter]

Quality isn't judged by popularity...

I agree the quality of tests is better, because of the range of techniques it requires...

But, LOI's are nowadays more about pressure handling where you should be mentally strong and that is why people enjoy it more since the competitiveness is very close and the very next bowl can change the whole match's scenario unlike tests

 

[Leo23]

Quality isn't judged by popularity...

Entertainment is only judged by demand and how many people are willing to pay money for it. no point of being high quality when no one is interested

 

[RobinJay]

Entertainment is only judged by demand and how many people are willing to pay money for it. no point of being high quality when no one is interested

If you think cricket is entertainment then you can go enjoy your tamasha cricket. Cricket is a sport. A sport cannot be tailored and altered every time a fan thinks it is too long or too boring. That's why there is a multitude of formats, to each their own.

You don't have enough time to follow a Test match and would rather sit through 4 hours of hard hitting? Go ahead, by all means. But that does not mean Test cricket is not generating interest. With technology, there are many more means of following a match than showing up to the stands which is more convenient for a 40 over match than a 90 over one.

 

[Leo23]

If you think cricket is entertainment then you can go enjoy your tamasha cricket. Cricket is a sport. A sport cannot be tailored and altered every time a fan thinks it is too long or too boring. That's why there is a multitude of formats, to each their own.

You don't have enough time to follow a Test match and would rather sit through 4 hours of hard hitting? Go ahead, by all means. But that does not mean Test cricket is not generating interest. With technology, there are many more means of following a match than showing up to the stands which is more convenient for a 40 over match than a 90 over one.

sport is by itself an entertainment

 

[Hasan123]

Test cricket is the premier format IMO but winning an icc tournament will give fans more joy than winning a bilateral test series. There is a place for all 3 formats. Personally I enjoy all 3 formats but got to admit odi and t20 bilaterals lack context, I prefer a test bilateral between the major test playing nations over a LO bilateral.

 

[Stewie]

do you honestly think the pak team or sarfraz would have received the grand reception from the supporters back home had they returned from winning a test series in aus, eng or sa?

when misbah received the test mace in sept last year no one in the country cared. there were no celebrations no tributes no misbah standing on his house balcony showing the made to hundreds of ppl filling up the streets etc

the superiority of test format over odis and t20s is a new concept for me something that i learned only after reading this forum. in the actual world no one prefers tests. in the 21st century which student or working individual has the time to watch a match that runs for 7 hrs and 5 days?

If it was a global championship, involving all the top teams, I don't see why Pakistanis won't celebrate the victory. And that right there is a major problem you have indirectly identified: we need a global championship series of test cricket badly. It is the most wonderful format and the best of the game and yet all we get is bilateral series

 

[ExpressPacer]

I think the OP forgot that the mere fact that we beat India after so long played a huge role in the celebrations.

 

[Stewie]

I think the OP forgot that the mere fact that we beat India after so long played a huge role in the celebrations.

I disagree. The nation was overjoyed over the 2009 wc win as well even though t20 were still in infancy stage at the time.

 

[big_gamer007]

You are asking this question on PP where the cricket enthusiasts reside.. But for casual/mass viewers test cricket is the worst format as evident from test ratings (atleast in sub continent.)..

 

[pakistani pride]

Test Cricket started in 1877, while one day cricket started in 1971. One of the prime reasons why Pakistanis got so much fascinated with winning big Tournaments was due to Legendary Pakistani Hockey team winning Olympic Gold Medal matches in 1960,68 then Hockey World cup in 1971 ( beating india in tense semi final, at that time 1971 war was on its way) and later on winning further world cups in 78, 82 and champions trophy 78,80, such glorious big tournamemt wins gave earlier generations of Pakistanis sense of superiority and pride, it definitely reflected in Pakistani cricket team, which closely lost the 1979 world cup cricket semi final against West indies. From there on it became a national obsession. ( beating india in test series 1978 technically brought back interest in cricket after 17 years of pure interest in hockey). When Pakistan lost 1983,87 world cup semi finals, obsession became even stronger and it was fulfilled in 1992. Lets also not ignore Australasia cup wins 1986,90,94 and Nehru Cup on indian soil 1989. But it was Our Hockey team which produced the greatest and finest Pakistan's sports performance by winning 1982 Hockey world cup
On Indian Soil in front of Mrs Indira Gandhi and then won 1984 Olympic Gold Medal. Hockey team
Did not stop there reached 1990 hockey world cup final at Gaddafi and won it in 1994. Our prime reason of being obsessed for winning big tournaments in cricket actually originated from Hockey. Test Cricket too had its high points, beating india in india 1987 resulted in huge celebrations and winning test matches in Chennai 99 and Calcutta 99. Remember average attendance for Calcutta 99 test was 100000 during first 4 days. One can never ignore Test Cricket
And reason is very simple, Sri lanka and Newzealand are always considered as bish bosh modern teams with little history and prime reason is they have never ever reached No 1 Status in Test Cricket. Pakistan has done it twice 1988 and 2016. So
In the eyes of Geoff Boycot Ian Chappel and old Test guard veterans we have respect.

Nice little read.

Pak used to be so STRONG as a hockey nation. GOAT level.