Former India cricket coach Ravi Shastri believes the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy, won by Australia 3-1, demonstrates the continued strength of Test cricket. He feels the series highlights why the longest format remains vibrant.
A report in The Sydney Morning Herald indicates a meeting is scheduled later this month between ICC Chairman Jay Shah, Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird, and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chair Richard Thompson. A two-tiered Test cricket structure is reportedly a key topic for discussion.
The report suggests that such a structure could exempt Australia, England, and India from playing Tests against certain nations. It would allow these three countries to compete against each other twice every three years, instead of the current four-year cycle.
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“To break crowd records that have stood for nearly a century… is testimony to the fact that when the best teams play, the toughest and best format of the game is still alive and thriving. It was also a sound reminder to the ICC (International Cricket Council) that the best should play the best for Test cricket to survive. I will say that there’s too much clutter otherwise,” Shastri stated in a column for The Australian.
The Boxing Day Test held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground saw record-breaking attendance for a Test match in Australia. It surpassed the previous record set in the 1936/37 Ashes series.
The Melbourne Test also established a new record for opening-day attendance in an India vs. Australia Test match. A remarkable 87,242 spectators were present at the iconic venue.
Shastri further advocates for the importance of five-day Test matches. He believes they are essential for showcasing classic cricket.
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“This match further emphasises why we need a two-tier system with the top 6-8 teams and then include promotion and demotion. You will not get these kinds of crowds if you don’t have two proper teams playing. The theatre in the end on (day five) Monday was further proof of why we need five days for a classic Test match.”
“However, if you don’t create a two-tier system, you’ll continue to have unmatched teams up against each other and then it’s very unlikely they’ll be able to take a game into the fifth day. Then there’ll always be talk of four-day Tests,” he added.
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