TEST cricket in the last one month has shown the vast gulf that exists in the highest form of the sport.
We have seen two different facets of the format in England and in nearby Sri Lanka. While bowlers ruled the roost in England, the batsmen made merry in the Emerald Isles.
This in a sense is the essence of Test cricket as varied conditions are meant to test the players. But what is coming out in a glaring way is the fact that the format can survive on its own only if their is a contest. Very few Test matches seem to be a contest these days. It is a one-way street at most times.
Very often you know the way the contest is going to pan out even before the first ball is bowled. Matters are not helped when below par sides like Bangladesh, West Indies compete against top sides.
While it is all very well to see these sides bat out a session or take quick wickets, they don’t have the wherewithal to go all the way.
Where does this leave the paying public, the companies that pitch in money as sponsors? All these people need to wait for the best vs the best contest to roll out their respective red carpets.
How long will this unequal, imbalanced way of the sport continue?
There are three things about the Test matches which need to change: the unequal nature of the format, the unfair distribution of the games and the meaningless nature of some games.
Unless something is done, the Test match format is heading towards a certain end.
The fans, sponsors and every stakeholder will prefer looking at the shortest format, Twenty20, because the teams are equally balanced, the games seem to be fairly distributed and you get quick results.
Take the IPL for example, there are eight equally matched teams playing, and it makes for a far more interesting competition than any international.
The upcoming Champions League Twenty20 is also another example of how world cricket needs to have another layer to it.
The sport cannot continue in its present format if they have four good Test teams and six ordinary sides. ODI World Cup struggles to catch attention because the gulf between the haves and have nots is just too big.
The only format which has any hope is the Twenty20 because it can attract new crowds, enter new territories and satisfy all stakeholders.
So here’s calling one and all to take drastic measures before the gentleman’s game suffers a major credibility crisis.
