New Delhi, Jan 6 (NationPress) Former India head coach Ravi Shastri opines that the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, where Australia triumphed with a score of 3-1 over India, serves as an ideal illustration of why the longest and ‘best format of the game is not only surviving but thriving.
As per a report from The Sydney Morning Herald, ICC Chairman Jay Shah, Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird, and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chair Richard Thompson are scheduled to convene later this month to discuss the pressing topic of a two-tier structure for Test cricket.
Furthermore, it was mentioned that if the two-tier Test system comes to fruition, then Australia, England, and India would engage in Test matches against numerous nations less frequently, allowing these three teams to compete against each other two times within a three-year span instead of the current four-year interval.
“To break attendance records that have stood for almost a century... is a testament to the fact that when the best teams square off, the most challenging and finest format of the game remains vibrant and flourishing. It serves as a clear reminder to the ICC (International Cricket Council) that the best should compete against the best for Test cricket to endure. There’s simply too much clutter otherwise,” Shastri expressed in a column for The Australian.
The Boxing Day Test between India and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground achieved a new record for attendance at Tests in Australia, surpassing the previous record established in 1936/37 when Australia faced England in a six-day match with a record-breaking crowd of 47,566 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The Melbourne Test set a new standard for the highest-ever opening day attendance in a Test match between India and Australia, with 87,242 fans filling the iconic venue.
Shastri further emphasized that this match is additional evidence of the necessity for five days in a classic Test match.
“This match reinforces the need for a two-tier system with the top 6-8 teams and also includes promotion and relegation. You won’t attract these kinds of crowds without having two formidable teams competing. The excitement witnessed on (day five) Monday clearly demonstrated the need for a five-day classic Test match.
“However, if a two-tier system isn’t implemented, you will continue to see mismatched teams playing against one another, making it improbable for a game to progress into the fifth day. This will perpetuate discussions about four-day Tests,” he added.
