The top four are evenly matched, but where is Test cricket going?

I still think India is big enough for all forms of cricket keeping in mind they don't have any of the winter codes there. For Aussies, there's cricket season, then footy season then cricket season again and so on. For Indians, there's international cricket season (Tests, ODI's and a bit of T20) then IPL season then international cricket again. I believe it is the same for the other subcontinental teams.

Glenn, I love your optimism. But what should terrify all lovers of test cricket is that this form of cricket may well be killed off from within - by its own administrators. They seem to be doing their best to bury test cricket, it would seem. Who would have thunk it.....

Gizza, Look at what the administrators are doing. It's all about revenue streams & they are infatuated with T20's guzzling money making abilities. As for the fans, most of us compliant sheep. We'll go along with whatever happens, even if we don't agree with it, because basically it's the path of least resistance.

JGK, Love it! Oh the irony, the irony.....

Sheek - my guess is that in the Tory tradition of of it's ancestry Test cricket will neither boom nor collapse but simply muddle through. In any other sport having three competing versions of the same sport all in direct competition would seem unsustainable (Rugby sevens even alowing for it's entry at the Oltmpics is not a genuine competitor with the fifteen man game except maybe in Fiji) But test cricket is not like any other sport - in theory it should never have existed in the first place but 140 years on it is still with us still of interest to a TV network devoid of even a slither of sentiment and concerned only in returns to shareholders.. My guess is we will all be dead but test cricket will still be around "muddling along" neither booming nor collapsing but hanging in there despite the premature obituaries we have been reading for one hundred and forty years.

@Sheek, I don't think Test cricket will die so easily in India. T20 or the IPL is where the glitz is, Indian cricket fans ultimately worship their heroes like Tendulkar, Dravid, Gavaskar, Kumble, Laxman, etc. who are all famous due to their performances in Test matches. Even the dasher Sehwag is more well known for making two triple centuries than any of his innings in the shorter formats. The only issue I see is that India will always play more than half (maybe 60-70%) of their Tests at home on pitches they are accustomed to which will keep them high in the rankings. The biggest weakness of T20 from an Indian perspective is that hundreds are rarity even on flat pitches because of the limited number of balls faced by the batsmen. And Indians love their hundreds.

"Oh heavens above, what will we do then if T20 fails to infiltrate & inspire the general population…..?" Tweak the rules a little. Remove bowling and fielding restrictions; give each team two innings, and rather than limit each innings to 20 overs, make them unlimited overs but perhaps play the game over five days to ensure you get a result.

Hi Art, Excellent thoughts & apologies for dropping in late. I thought Gideon Haig's article in the Australian on 26/12/13 - "Behind the Boxing day facade, test cricket is in decay" - was on the money. People reading Haig's article on the same day Melbourne posted a new world record test crowd of 91, 092 might think Haig was talking crap. But he's right. Administrators are basically "running out the line" with test cricket to use a fishing term. All their thoughts, their endeavours, their 'real' priorities, lie with T20. Test cricket might be dead in a decade for several reasons. Firstly, the annual programming makes it difficult for test cricket to assume a place of significance & secondly, players will increasingly lose the ability to play cricket over four or five days as they are "directed" elsewhere. Thirdly, India rules the cricket world. It has the biggest population, the most money & the greatest clout. Their administrators are contemptuous of test cricket. The current South Africa-India series between the top two nations, was only confirmed at the last minute. The Indian authorities have treated their South African counterparts with dismissive indifference, as they do everyone else. The top two test nations are only playing two tests so as not to interfere with a T20 world cup & other comps. Fancy the best two nations only playing a two-test series. The 91, 092 fans at the MCG is akin to a mirage. Like the filament of a globe being at its brightest immediately before extinguishment, it doesn't in any way ensure the future of test cricket. Administrators have shown their hand & are becoming less reticent about having their feelings known - they really don't care if test cricket dies off. As far as most of them are concerned, tests & first class cricket are dinosaurs, headed for extinction. The will to save tests & Sheffield Shield is basically non-existent. Let's hope (for cricket's sake) T20 & BBL fills the void & isn't a passing fad. Oh heavens above, what will we do then if T20 fails to infiltrate & inspire the general population.....?

Indian batsmen have never coped with Australian wickets or Australian pacemen, however.

Do any of us REALLY know. We arent on the field and there are different types of 'abuses' aimed at putting the opposition off. We concentrate on Oz because we live here and hear it from our media

the key word in this conversation is "who starts hurling these abuses?"

I dont think I would call South Africa a 'smaller' nation in respect of influence. But I get your comment.

Careful James. Dont underestimate Oz. India have been the most successful in the juniors for a while now, but generally Oz comes in second. And dont suggest other teams including India dont use spoiling tactics or have you forgotten the abuse Symonds received that was brushed under the carpet because of Indian pressure. Australia may give it to other teams but they get it back.

Given Pakistan is ahead of us on the Test rankings and really tough to beat at home, and with a good production line of fast bowlers and spinners, I'd say on the field at least they deserve the recognition of being one of the big players. Sri Lanka and NZ are small nations and relatively inconsistent away from home but still competitive at home. Any side with the likes of Sangakarra, Jayawardene and Herath will always play well in the subcontinent. Both these nations are also still towards the top int he shorter forms of the game. The real worry is off the field where the smaller nations (Pak, RSA, WI, SL, NZ, Bang, Zim) will have their schedules dictated to them by the bullying boards of India, England and Australia. I would hate to see them only get the chance to play 2 test series, at less prestigious grounds and at off-peak times. The ICC needs a standardized schedule to be put in place which mandates all tours to be 3 test series for all bar the Ashes, plus a maximum of 3 ODI's and 2 T20's (ideally 1). Over a 4 year period every nation should play the other once at home and away with a test championship involving the top 4 at the conclusion of this. You'll notice I've called for far less ODI's and T20's than currently to allow for blocked out time for domestic T20 tournaments like the IPL, Big Bash etc. Making these tournaments stronger will ultimately make all the national boards more profitable, give more players a chance to make a living out of cricket, and give the fans a chance to attend more cricket. It will also prevent the risk of over-saturation of international limited overs cricket that is currently occurring with the countless meaningless ODI's and International T20's. If this keeps occurring then eventually people will lose interest in T20's as they have with ODI's and stop showing up, and cricket will have blown it's big chance to make domestic cricket relevant again.

Agree with your comments on India. They have the right attitude as well and are prepared to attack. Their fielding has seen major improvement and they are now a danger in the field compared to previous years. I belive India will become No 1. They must learn, however, to cope with the juvenile antics of our team (OZ) which surprisingly, seems to affect the more mature players in the other test nations as well. Its as if they simply don't know how to react to the schollboy oafish comments and swagger. The answer, of course, is just to ignore them and play your own game. Dont't descend to the same level. Just play cricket.

Mentioned that India's juniors are dominating in recent years in my comment below Praveen and I think you are right.

India is best placed as alot if youngsters are thriving there now and good to go for next decade

Yes James I was thinking of Pakistan but wasnt sure how they had been recently travelling. The disruption to the games because of home instability must be frustrating to one of the majors in test cricket. Hope the idiocy of religious and sectarian violence can be overcome by the government, because we need a strong and stable Pakistan team showing prominence again

I would have placed South Africa on top and India a close second. Then there's a gap to Australia and England, though I think Australia is on the rise and England heading for some slow years until they build up again. But South Africa are powerful in bowling and batting and though Australia's potential is impressive, I think we're a year or two off challenging for that top spot. India in my mind has handled the transition from their old greats to the new breed very well and in fact may end up stronger than even South Africa. They have been dominating the junior comps for the last few years, so there's a wealth of talent coming through

Big worry outside Top 4. Bangladesh/Zimbabwe/West Indies are as good as gone. Sri Lanka big doubts too gone as well NZ 50/50 not sure yet if they have the money to keep on funding test cricket, being next to Australia does help. T20 sides for Auckland and Wellington could help fund Test cricket 1st class scene. Pakistan have the potential, don't know if the interest in test cricket is still there, and is such a war-torn country will always be inconsistent. You need stability at test cricket. Canada/Ireland I have big hopes for. Afghanistan is too war torn to be consistent and develop in test cricket long term. UAE has a bit of potential not sure the interest is there for test cricket, but T20 for sure. Holland/Denmark optimistic in shorter forms, not sure about demand for test cricket. South Africa though I worry about a little in test cricket. The demand, the crowds are not very good in SA for test cricket. India is so rich, it can afford dud test crowds, it doesn't matter, SA doesn't have the money to afford such losses, also it has to fund it's 1st class scene which is expensive, and generates no revenue like the sheffield shield.