Here are 11 things that I think need to be done in the near future to enhance the appeal and relevance of Test cricket.
1) First and foremost, there should be some kind of parity in the number of Tests each team plays, and each team should play every other with reasonable frequency (like the 90′s). Easier said than done though – yet another Ashes looms upon us in a year.
2) All efforts should be made to try and introduce day-night Test cricket. I believe that the Southern hemisphere nations would be best suited to take the initiative. This is one experiment which will not fail if all goes well with the ball; there will be more crowds after all.
3) If any two cricket-playing nations have the necessary resources and want to play a five-day match between themselves, such a game should be given proper Test status. The ‘Members’ and ‘Associates’ bifurcation should be phased out and eventually scrapped. A country v country fixture should be an international and nothing else.
4) If the above point seems too far-fetched, at least Ireland should be brought into Test cricket. As soon as possible. The game will only enrich if this is done. A vibrant, genuinely interested new Test nation is the need of the hour and Ireland ticks all the boxes.
5) While the teams’ Test kits should obviously remain white, the country name should be written clearly in front of the shirt in the colour of the respective cap. Also, the player’s name and number to be present on the back. New audiences need to identify the players.
6) Test cricket should be marketed well. This is something that is rarely done except for the Ashes. While we see full-page ads and hoardings promoting meaningless games like ‘Sunrisers v Sixers’, promotion of Test cricket is hardly seen. Building the hype before a big series is important.
7) Some sort of uniformity should be achieved in the Test calendar. Countries should allot a separate period as their Test season, with fixed dates scheduling Test matches at grounds with historical significance. Case in point – the Boxing Day Test. Also, the Friday to Sunday period to be included in all Test matches.
8) Two-Test series – which is the norm nowadays – should be done away with once and for all. Any Test series should have at least three matches. Ashes to have five, and certain other match-ups like England v South Africa, India v Australia, Australia v South Africa to have at least four.
9) Regional rivalries between countries should be developed and such fixtures should be so scheduled as to make them much-awaited. Australia-New Zealand and India-Pakistan play each other so less, and that’s a big opportunity missed. Also, England-Ireland looks a tempting prospect.
10) Regular grounds should host Test matches, and make the event as fan-friendly as possible. In this way, people would look forward to say, the annual Mumbai Test or the Wellington Test. Again, a lesson to be learnt from Melbourne.
11) An equal number of matches should be considered for every team after every four-year cycle to determine a Test champion. Incentives for the yearly leading team and importantly, more points for away Test wins.
Seems Utopian, but one can always harbour hope.
Any other suggestions from the Roarers?
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