By Tushar Bhaduri
To misquote Mark Twain, reports of the death of Test cricket are greatly exaggerated, judging by the fare on display and the interest and passion generated by the Ashes.
The oldest rivals in the format have provided three spell-binding contests, with ebbs and flow in every session, as matches swung one way and then the other. Australia leads the series 2-1 at the moment, but the scoreline could very easily have been reversed in England’s favour. It would be not too far-fetched to argue that if things had taken a slightly different turn at crucial moments, the Ashes could easily have been settled by now with either team getting the urn.
It helps that the series has seen a clash of two different playing styles – Australia playing the traditional attritional way, trying to wear down the opposition, while England’s Bazball practitioners swearing by an all-out aggressive approach. That the Aussies have not won an Ashes series away from home in 22 years only adds to the stakes.
The longest format has been facing a lot of threats of late, with Indian Premier League franchises looking to hire top players on long-term contracts. In any case, not all cricket boards have the resources to be competitive in Test cricket on a long-term basis.
The viewership and gate receipts may not be enough to sustain an expensive form of the game. Not many boards outside of India, England, and Australia can afford to pay their players anywhere close to what major corporates can offer. Even some of the English and Australian players may find it difficult to ignore the money offered to turn their backs on the central contracts from their national boards.
The ongoing Ashes series is being played with this backdrop. It has caught the imagination of not just the two participating countries, but cricket lovers around the world, so much so that team combinations and tactics are being debated beyond England and Australia. Those who thought that Test cricket was a stodgy affair played out over five days with a result not always guaranteed may have second thoughts after watching the exciting fare on display.
Nothing bigger
The Tests have been played in front of packed stands, but that’s not always the case in other parts of the world. Test cricket is considered the premier format in England and, more often than not, sees big crowds.
But there is nothing bigger than an Ashes series for the two countries. It just means more. Fans in the subcontinent may scoff at the idea and many may believe that there’s nothing bigger than an India-Pakistan game, but it has been 16 years since the neighbours faced off in a Test match. Also, the whole package that comes along with an India-Pakistan encounter, not always limited to sporting aspects, makes it more of a geopolitical event.
Australia has enjoyed much more dominance in international cricket over the years than England, hence it’s the Ashes-winning England captains that are held in the highest regard. In contrast, Australian skippers who preside over Ashes defeats garner more infamy. For the two World Cup titles that he led his team to, in the Test arena, Ricky Ponting is known as the captain to lose three Ashes series.
It is the yardstick that English and Australian players measure themselves by. It explains why Ben Stokes raises his game against the Old Enemy and his opposite number Pat Cummins bowls with added fire and potency despite long spells while guiding his team home with the bat when all seemed lost in the series opener.
David Warner may have been a sitting duck on tours to India for a decade, but he will be known more as Stuart Broad’s bunny. Usman Khawaja’s redemption on his Test comeback was complete only after his exploits at Edgbaston last month.
That’s why Ollie Robinson shooting his mouth off in the media despite England losing the first Test elicited such strong reactions from retired Australian players. That’s why Jonny Bairstow’s unusual stumping, well within the laws of the game, had even the stiff upper lip of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) quivering as the players made their way through the Lord’s Long Room for lunch.
Tough talking
Now that the hosts have avoided losing the series at the earliest opportunity, one can expect the talking to get louder as the fourth Test at Old Trafford gets closer. Even after England fell 0-2 behind, Stokes talked up their chances of winning the series 3-2. That scenario will be mentioned even more now, even though it has been done only once in Ashes history – by Don Bradman’s team in 1936-37.
Test cricket is universally considered the toughest format of the game, as it challenges all the attributes of a player and exposes any weakness in one’s repertoire. It’s also the most satisfying to succeed in. But it can’t be as financially rewarding as the numerous domestic leagues featuring T20, or even shorter, matches. The longest format has to promote itself with the one with the most intrigue and layers, as well as the most drama and the highest stakes.
The ongoing Ashes is being fought not just for cricketing supremacy between England and Australia, but for the future of the format itself.