About Cricket, Playing Four Day Tests By IPYadav
Four Day Tests are being considered to fit in so many Test playing Nations in the ICC Championship for Test Matches. This modification, which is actually a sincere effort to reduce time spent in playing a Test Match and thus squeeze in more number of Test Matches, is actually a futile effort because neither does it support the spirit of a Test Match and nor does it save much time in the overall fixture. So, the whole plan of playing a'Test Match' of only four days and allow more number of 'Test Matches' would modify the existence of 'Test Matches' in Cricket history.
During the seventies and eighties of the last century, even the five day Test Matches used to be dull as they all used to virtually result in slow- moving draws. Only few of them used to become interesting as they would hold up the results till the end. Nowadays, a lot of matches finish within four days but even they don't becoming engrossing as mostly they are lop-sided events and only sooth the winning team's and their fans' ego. So, the players indulge in playing mind-games and pre-fixing or even on-field match-fixing (to grab betting fortunes) and just give their viewers the appearance of a closely contested match. This demeans the spirit of preparing for a 'Test' and playing a 'Match' to represent and uphold the honour of a Nation. Four day Test Matches would become a futile exercise for evenly matched sides as they would give very less time to complete the 'Test' and make it engrossing. Only lop-sided matches would provide results and they too would be a futile exercise of appeasing the superior team's or superior player's ego. Matches mutually decided and played according to that pattern would be seemingly engrossing to a lot of viewers, but they would be degrade the game for many of them and the players too. Only matches with lethal bowling attack from both sides would be engrossing but then the batsmen wouldn't like such a match at all.
The spirit of a 'Test Match' also requires a test of all aspects of cricket to be actually executed on field by each team as their playing strategy and counter-playing strategy as well as amending it to the actual circumstances to win a match or at least to save the match with a draw. Even the weaker teams have an inspiration to perform the best they can instead of assuming it as a lost cause and just appeasing the egos. It is here that one has to start with an optimum speed to complete a win and the one in the weaker situation has to make strategies to hold on to their fort. And although most of the situations unfold within a day or two, there is ample suspense if it would develop into a win / loose game till end or otherwise if the weaker side will be able to save the match with a draw. Then there are individual records and feats to be achieved. It is these that make the game engrossing for both sides. Even in games like football or hockey, any moment a goal can turn the fortunes of the teams in a short span of 90 minutes, Cricket is like a battle where all your worth is given a chance and even a second innings over an optimum time span of five days and even a rest day in between. By bringing in professionalism into the game, we have removed the rest day from the Test Matches but by removing another day from the time span, it would result in half fought battles or arranged battles to appease our minds but actually fixing the results to our suitability. Cricket looses it's essence. (And ensuing grudge can get vented out with actual battles or diplomatic accusations!)
Nowadays the teams play about three Test Match series and that would save just three days in a series. This much can be adjusted by reducing the gaps in between two series. Players can take a break by skipping a match or series in between. This can also be used as a mutually agreed and approved pre-match strategy where the weaker side may be given a boost by resting star player(s). A similar ICC approved pre-match strategy can be to allow the respective Boards to decide and play a four day Match. This again gives the weaker side to hold on for four days and draw the match. But in such cases the actual match would be counted as a normal five day match and reduction of one day would be only as a part of pre-match strategy like many other such strategies. And the evenly balanced teams would opt for a full five day match.
Another, modification that can be effected is by organizing quadrangular series wherein four teams get together in a country or region, complete their bilateral series while playing with the other three teams in nearby locations in quick succession and completing their series with three teams in one go. then each team can take a suitably long break.
Here's an example: four teams A, B, C, D come together in a region (e.g. Asia, India+, Australia-New Zealand, S. Africa-Zimbabwe, West Indies, England, etc). Assume teams A and D are strong and equally matched, teams B and C are weak. Their Boards decide that A vs D and B vs C will be equally matched and therefore 5 day matches and A vs B, A vs C, D vs B and D vs C are unevenly matched so their matches would be 4 day long. Then their schedule would be
first 4 days - A vs B and D vs C; then 2 day gap
next 7 to 11 days - A vs D and B vs C; then 1 or 2 days gap (assume 2 days)
next 14 to 17 days - A vs C and D vs B then 1 or 2 days gap (assume 2 days)
so in nineteen first round is completed. For a 3 Test Match series it would take 57 days and giving another one month for ODIs and T20Is, three countries can be completed in three months. Thus, six countries in six months and nine countries in nine months. Still each team can get three months break every year while completing a 3 Test Match series against each other Test playing Country. Also, consecutive equal match gets shielded by two easy matches in between defusing the stress on Star Players. Once the system is initiated, modifications can be done regarding grouping and how many matches each region or country gets.
The Match tactics will also vary with each match and all kinds of talents get a chance to do their bit for their country. After all, while the ODIs and T20Is have made the cricket a fast moving game, can we forget all those walls in front of the wickets that the opponents couldn't demolish and saved the match for their countries. In today's lethal bowling attack, it is the dirth of these skills that cause a team to collapse and lose a match, sometimes by a large margin like an innings defeat. We should remember that even a gully player develops hitting skills but only serious students of cricket are able to develop defending skills. A four day Test Match will surely wipe out these kinds of players and this kind of cricket talent. Whatever is planned, it surely will require consideration of all aspects. IPYadav
