T20 Lens: Why Viewing Tests through a Shorter Format May Not Work

Another set of statistics paints an intriguing picture. Ten years ago, South Africa found themselves desperately trying to avoid defeat on the final day of a Test match at the Kotla. They managed to bat out a grueling 143.1 overs, scoring just 143 runs. Hashim Amla valiantly faced 244 balls to make a mere 25 runs, while AB de Villiers spent 297 deliveries for his 43 runs. Together, they managed to survive for 90.1 overs, which is equivalent to more than a full day of cricket. India's bowlers, including R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, bowled a staggering 96 overs collectively, with even non-regular bowlers like Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Virat Kohli, and Cheteshwar Pujara chipping in some overs. In stark contrast, we have India's Test match against New Zealand in Mumbai, which lasted only two and a half days. India's batting lineup collapsed dramatically on the third day, with the team being dismissed in just 29.1 overs of play.

Hopefully, the pain of India’s series loss would have subsided. But the scar is a permanent tattoo that will stay because we lost at home, that too 3-0, to unfancied New Zealand, with Indian batters failing to spin that was far from lethal.

The message from Mumbai is cricket has moved, players’ minds are wired differently and the game has changed. Forever.

The shift started when T20 cricket captured the game commercially and fans chose the new format. At that time, observers expressed a concern that Tests would struggle because they don’t work anymore for key stakeholders, especially the broadcasters and sponsors. That prediction has proved to be correct but T20’s influence on cricket is more than what people thought initially.

Looking at recent developments, it’s evident that T20 cricket is imposing itself on Tests in many ways. Modern coaches demand players play ‘fearless’ cricket and go into the middle to ’express themselves’, which is like telling a driver to step on the accelerator and the car has no brakes.

Nowadays, with Tests on steroids, runs are scored quicker, 483 were made in a day last month in Multan. Matches are result oriented, draws are rare and not many games go past three days. When India beat Bangladesh in Kanpur four innings ended in less than two days.

Speeding up Test cricket is fine but, as it often happens, something has to give and there is a price to pay. Observers see T20 ‘corrupting’ Tests and India’s loss to New Zealand is an example of the damage and implications of excessive T20 cricket.

Partly, it’s a technical matter because a T20 player is told to prioritize aggression over defence and batters are judged on intent, strike rate and impact, not runs or average. Batters are encouraged, told, instructed to clear the infield, sweep (even fast bowlers), reverse sweep, lap, tap, scoop, hit and switch hit. Basically, do anything, but do NOT defend.

When batsmen play T20s, with a mindset that patience is a sin, playing against time in a Test is not easy. Players are not trained to meet the challenges of Tests — of playing out maiden overs, batting through a session or just surviving a good spell. Most times, the response to a tough situation is to hit through trouble — which actually only invites more trouble.

Students, who only know how to answer multiple choice questions, will tell you how difficult it is if suddenly asked to write a 500-word essay.

A related issue is T20s are played on good batting tracks because the format requires runs scored. The bowlers receive no joy but this is what the fans want. Batters have a good time happily swinging their bats knowing the wickets are specifically prepared for them. In this context, India’s loss to New Zealand highlighted the damage that T20 cricket can inflict on Test batting.

Yet, India’s Test series loss is not only because of excessive T20 cricket. Clearly, we made wrong choices about the surface, thinking New Zealand batters won’t be able to handle our superior set of spinners. Another worrying matter is our batters are not used to playing red ball cricket. Top players don’t turn up for Ranji, because of which they have lost the art of building an innings, playing time and the match situation. Perhaps, an opportunity exists now to address the larger issue of disinterest and disrespect for domestic cricket.

But in the gloom surrounding our loss there is one positive. Captain Rohit Sharma displayed great courage and character to put his hand up to admit he made mistakes as a leader. He fronted the media and owned up for tactical errors (batting first on a helpful wicket) and failing as a batter.

Going into the tough Border-Gavaskar Trophy, captain Rohit’s honesty is one positive.