Online Reporter
TEST cricket is brilliant.
You may have known that long before England’s defeat of India in the first Test, or discovered it through what happened at Headingley.
Last Wednesday morning, the day after England strolled a chase of 371, there was a spike in social media engagement with posts giving love to the five-day game. “Test cricket is the best format”, “the Rolls Royce of our great game”, “there’s nothing else like Test cricket”. Naturally, there was a bit of Hundred bashing in there, too.
These outbursts of support each time there is a half-decent Test are a strange phenomenon, akin to a subculture being vindicated for a passion in something that would otherwise seem a bit weird. Like admitting to a love of Warhammer, pro wrestling or McFly (no, yes, sometimes – in case you’re wondering).
Compared with other sports, there is not the same fervour after an English Premier League football thriller, tense final round of a golf major or five-set tennis epic at Wimbledon. Not the same need to proclaim “that is why (insert sport here) is the best”. There are good reasons for Test cricket devotees to feel under attack, and therefore moved to defend their corner.
No other sport has the multiple formats of cricket, something that should be a strength but instead has become its biggest weakness. No other sport has so violently torn itself apart, even if golf has given it a good go.
This is not meant to be a dig at franchise and short-form leagues. They can be excellent in their own right. In a competitive global market, it is remarkable that what is essentially a new sport has become so lucrative in little more than 20 years.
England are undertaking, though it is hard to remember a time when Test cricket has been in such sharp focus for a period of time as prolonged as the next seven months.
England were favourites at Headingley and could, probably should, have lost. India paid the price for dropped catches, a crucial Harry Brook wicket off a no-ball and a tail that refused to wag.
As a result, the tourists are in a muddle at Edgbaston. Do they play another one of their Jasprit Bumrah chips, leaving only one for the rest of the series? Will they find a place for magician wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav and simultaneously boost their lower-order batting?
England are settled, with the prospect of Jofra Archer returning for the third Test next week at Lord’s, the ground where he made his electrifying debut six years ago. Steve Smith and all that.
It would be good for the series if India won this week. Level at 1-1 is all to play for, 2-0 down is as good as over. The visitors will have to battle history — they have never won in eight visits to Edgbaston spanning 58 years.
Another classic incoming? — BBC Sport.
