England’s dramatic win over India in the latest Test match was nothing short of glorious. A pulsating, topsy-turvy affair full of class, grit, and character. The kind of match that reminds you why, in a world of disposable entertainment, Test cricket still packs the finest punch. In my humble and occasionally loud opinion, it remains the best form of the game by a mile — a true measure of skill, stamina, and strategy.
But before the traditionalists start waving their scorecards in the air, crying “We told you so!”, let’s apply a bit of common sense. This match was a glorious outlier, not the norm. Yes, it may well go some way to reigniting wider interest in the red-ball game, but those who declare this as proof we don’t need pyjama cricket are way off the mark. They’re not just wide of the off stump — they’re halfway to third man.
Short Formats Are the Gateway Drug
Let’s face it: without Twenty20, The Hundred, and even a spot of indoor cricket when it’s grim outside, there’s every chance this article wouldn’t exist — because there’d be no younger fans to read it. While I personally love the nuance and shifting drama of a five-day Test, it’s the crash-bang-wallop of the shorter formats that catch the eye and spark curiosity. They’re the shop window that draws people into the big store of cricket.
And that curiosity can lead to Test cricket. Ask any top-level player what format truly defines their career and nine out of ten will point straight to the longest form. The clue, after all, is in the name. It’s the ultimate test. But to get there, you’ve got to first get them through the gate — and that gate often has coloured clothing, loud music, and a bar within five metres.
We Need More Competitive Test Matches
What’s making this England v India series so absorbing is the fact it’s genuinely competitive. Both sides throwing punches, absorbing pressure, and playing with ambition. But let’s not kid ourselves — series like this are still rare. Too many Tests are glorified home advantage exhibitions, with conditions stacked in favour of the hosts. That doesn’t grow the game. That doesn’t build fans. That’s just five days (often less) of slow inevitability.
If anything, we need the traditionalists to stop acting like cricketing doormen and start welcoming new ideas with open arms. How do we make more Test matches like this one? How do we stop the one-way traffic? How do we give smaller nations a chance to catch up? That’s where the focus should be — not on grumbling into your G&T every time The Hundred rolls into town and harping on about the good old days when Geoff Boycott would take 3 days to score a 50.
And here’s something I know first-hand. I’ve been chairman here at Oakley for 12 years. If all we offered was Test and 50-over cricket to colts, our ground would be a field of barley or a housing estate in a developers mind’s eye. Instead, we have four adult teams, around 80 colts, All Stars and thriving women’s and girls’ sections. Why? Because the kids got hooked by the speed, colour and energy of T20 and The Hundred. Now, some of them are tuning in to Tests to see what that’s all about. See how that works?
The Verdict: Let’s Have It All
So yes, let’s celebrate this Test series for the beauty it is — but let’s not be deluded about what keeps the game alive. Test cricket might still be king, but without its upstart cousins, it wouldn’t have a kingdom to rule over.
Long live all forms of the game but the old farts need to be kept in check.