Posted on September 4, 2021 at 01:30 AM
They say time and tide wait for no one. They also say that the only thing constant in life is change itself. Test Cricket has often felt like a misfit to many in the times we live. Times, which can be best, described by the advent of speed in nearly everything we do. Speed has often been considered synonymous with quality, especially in the field of technology and medicine. Whether it is the fastest phone or a vaccine, which can give the fastest results, we often chase after speed and quickness.
Test Cricket can often seem like a bullock cart stuck between a plethora of Formula One cars and Moto GP bikes. But it is important to note that while the bullock cart may be the slowest, it is certainly the one, which exemplifies the spirit and strength of a living being the most. Similarly, Test Cricket, as the name suggests is a test. It is a test of patience; a test of motivation, a test of willpower, and ultimately it is a test of character. The intention is not to demean the other formats for they have their own charms. However, the focus for once must solely be on Test Match Cricket.
The World Test Championship final was an excellent opportunity for Test Cricket to be in the limelight and it didn't disappoint. While the rain tried its best to steal the limelight, it was the grit, spirit, and willpower of Test Cricket, which helped it, overcome the gloomy weather.
The primary challenge for the administrators is to make Test Cricket attractive for the younger generation whilst also retaining their existing audience of slightly older people. They have tried hard with the advent of day-night tests, having player names on the back, although one fails to see how the latter would make Test cricket more attractive. While the purist has to curb the dogma in him and allow these changes, the floating theory of 4-day tests might be a step too far as of now.
Test cricket needs to adapt to the demands of the modern generation, that is true but it has to be a two-way street where even the present generation gives Test cricket the love, time, and respect it deserves. There is no denying the fact that the very fabric of Test cricket is antique but as is commonly said, one cannot venture forward without learning from the past. Test Cricket like life teaches us about the ups and downs one has to go through to get a result and even then after struggling for a long time, it can still end as a draw. It focuses more on the process than the result and that is something our generation can certainly learn from it.
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Content from the team with a passion for cricket.