How T20 has contributed towards the downfall of test cricket

T20 is the new wave in cricket. The fast-paced format has revolutionized the entire cricket industry. Now, batsmen look to clear the fence right from the get-go and in doing so, often throw their wicket away at crucial junctures. It has enforced bowlers to bowl with a defensive mindset in an attempt to escape. Conventional cricket has somewhere lost its spark in the T20 era. The significant change in approach among players has taken a massive toll on the sport; especially red-ball cricket. The test format was once considered the grandest of all. The soaring popularity of t20 has now resulted in 5-day cricket taking the back seat. As an ardent cricket follower for well over half a decade, I had a great time for a few days last month switching channels and viewing two very different formats of the game. One channel was the fast and furious activity associated with Twenty20 cricket. A few clicks away, I was watching the riveting events of the game’s traditional format – a Test match between Pakistan and England. As someone who lives for drama and character, I do have a fondness for Test cricket. And while there is little doubt that the short versions of the game have their plus perks from a cricketing perspective, there is nothing like good old Test cricket for the cricketing pundits. In the crawling proceedings, players in white, day/night cricket, and red balls have provided an invigoratingly different scenario from the overdose of fast-paced action. There is an enduring charm to Test cricket that still makes it the purest and highest art form associated with the game.

The Aftermath

For cricket fans, all we want is some fine displays of cricket. Technical stroke play, solid temperament, aggressive bowling spells, and electrifying fielding are the things that made us fall in love with the game. But with rapid alterations in the game, players are finding it difficult to keep up with it. Take the recently concluded test series between India and Australia into consideration. The Indian batsmen looked clueless against the Aussie quicks; particularly in the second match. They were bundled out for just 36 in the second inning of the game. One of the major reasons for their miserable show was the lack of intent. Batsmen were highly contingent on their power-hitting to get the results but instead, it worked against them.

Test cricket is solely based on patience and discipline. You need to have the mental toughness to survive through five days. Global T20 leagues (Domestic) have played a pivotal role in escalating interest among the masses. Similarly, supervising bodies should look to organize several tournaments to revive test cricket.

Conclusion

Cricket, regardless of any format, is dearly precious to us. All three formats are unique in their way and add a particular flavor to the game.

The inability of players to adapt across different formats is reducing the efficiency of the sport. To increase productivity cricketing boards should come up with improved schedules to provide an adequate cooling period for players. Also, I believe players should understand their role in the team and read the game according to the situation.

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