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BCCI finally wakes up to the need to play more tests!

Vikas Bhatt

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
The morons at BCCI couldn't have thought the need to play more test cricket when they packed the iteneries with more JAMODIs and T20s, all meangless matches. It took them media pressure and fan outrage after we became no. 1 that we had just 5 tests next year 2 against Banglas and 3 against NZ, both bottom placed to play and that we won't retain the place at top because we don't play enough tests at all.

The proposal to break SA's coming 5 one day tour is almost ready to be broken into a 2test/3 one day series.

Cricket Aus has also got the request to play the same 2 test/3 one day series instead of the 7 one dayers committed.

While 2 tests against top sides is stupid, the fact that we may get top quality test cricket is still mouth watering prospect though!
 

shivfan

Banned
It's not the BCCI alone....

Let's face it - Chris Gayle was right. The attendances for Test matches around the world are in decline, except for a few marquee series.

The WIndies are only playing three Tests in their season next year, and this is against South Africa. However, it must also be remembered that the World 20/20 champs will be played in the Caribbean during their season.
 

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
Interesting that India last played tests in SA in December 2006, yet SA would have played a series in India in 2008 and again in 2010.
 

Sir Alex

Banned
According to ICC rankings India have played 32 tests in the ranking period which is more than any team except England... talk about perceptions.
 

Dissector

International Debutant
India has played a decent number of tests in the past few years. It's the next year that is the problem. The two tests against South Africa are a welcome addition.

But yes in the end it's the audience which will determine the fate of test cricket. And actually I think there is a reasonable amount of interest in test cricket in India though not many people will watch large stretches of a test game live on TV. I think highlight shows draw a decent audience. Highlight packages for past test series are also a potential source of revenue which is not being fully tapped IMO. You do see past matches on TV sometimes but such shows could be better marketed and packaged instead of used as fillers. DVD sales are another potential source of revenue with better marketing.
 

SJS

Hall of Fame Member
India has played a decent number of tests in the past few years. It's the next year that is the problem. The two tests against South Africa are a welcome addition.

But yes in the end it's the audience which will determine the fate of test cricket. And actually I think there is a reasonable amount of interest in test cricket in India though not many people will watch large stretches of a test game live on TV. I think highlight shows draw a decent audience. Highlight packages for past test series are also a potential source of revenue which is not being fully tapped IMO. You do see past matches on TV sometimes but such shows could be better marketed and packaged instead of used as fillers. DVD sales are another potential source of revenue with better marketing.
The audiences at the Test matches are not as bad as it is made out. The choice of venues is important though,
 

Black_Warrior

Cricketer Of The Year
It's not the BCCI alone....

Let's face it - Chris Gayle was right. The attendances for Test matches around the world are in decline, except for a few marquee series.

The WIndies are only playing three Tests in their season next year, and this is against South Africa. However, it must also be remembered that the World 20/20 champs will be played in the Caribbean during their season.
See there are a couple of reasons for that
Its the same reason why the last two World Cups were such a bore, because one team won the tournaments without being defeated even once.
Its called lack of competition.
When India plays tests against Bangladesh, you cant possibly expect it to be a packed house.
When people know even before the World Cup starts who is going to win it, then you cant expect it to be a great tournament.

South Africa-Australia test series in Australia last year were fantastic..same with India-Australia a year earlier..reason? once again, because they were competitive.

Cricket Australia has been really slow in promoting cricket this year because they know West Indies and Pakistan are no match and hence no competition, although they might change that view after the second test match now.

Point I am trying to make is, test cricket will regain its glory once there is less gap between the teams. I dont think even an India-Pakistan test series will have many takers now because of the gap between the two sides, everyone knows who is going to win the series.

One way of doing so is having more series between South Africa, Australia and India rather than the usual once every 4 years, because clearly these 3 are the top test teams at the moment. They should play each other once every two years. Infact, I would love if South Africa and Australia play 5 or atleast 4 test matches instead of 3.
 

GotSpin

Hall of Fame Member
Would be great If we could see a five test series against India, South Africa and England at home.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
The audiences at the Test matches are not as bad as it is made out. The choice of venues is important though,
From what you've said in the past it perhaps needs to be more "BCCI wakes-up to the need to make Tests more attractive prospects for viewing".
 

shivfan

Banned
Cricket Australia has been really slow in promoting cricket this year because they know West Indies and Pakistan are no match and hence no competition, although they might change that view after the second test match now.

Point I am trying to make is, test cricket will regain its glory once there is less gap between the teams. I dont think even an India-Pakistan test series will have many takers now because of the gap between the two sides, everyone knows who is going to win the series.

One way of doing so is having more series between South Africa, Australia and India rather than the usual once every 4 years, because clearly these 3 are the top test teams at the moment. They should play each other once every two years. Infact, I would love if South Africa and Australia play 5 or atleast 4 test matches instead of 3.
I take your point, but I'm willing to bet that when the WIndies play ODIs against Australia in February, the crowds will be so much better than they were for the Tests, and that will have less to do with the competition, and more to do with the format of the game....
 

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