- The preceding question should preoccupy every true cricket connoisseur raised on a steady diet of a quality contest between the bat and the ball. Test cricket has always been regarded as the pinnacle of the five-day format. Test cricket in the 1980s and 1990s was notorious for producing tame draws when the contest between the bat and the ball could not result in a victory for either team. The dreaded draw was once the norm, but teams from the West Indies, Australia, and England were considered stronger and would go for the jugular to win. India and Pakistan were not thought to be strong enough to defeat the mighty teams, but they were capable of doing so.
PC: ESPNcricinfo
- Indeed, there was a time when Indian teams would play for a draw rather than knocking the perched teams off their pedestals. Remember, the West Indies team at the time was a true match-winner, boasting a slew of intimidating fast bowlers and attacking batsmen. They simply used brute force to crush the opposition. The Australian team, like the West Indies and other teams, competed supremely and used to present enthralling competition. The introduction of a shortened version of the game, 50-over cricket, brought about a much-needed change, as well as colored clothing, making it more exciting for paying spectators. Cricket played under floodlights added a colorful dimension to the game, altering its traditional appearance.
- The Indian team’s victory in the Prudential World Cup in England in 1983 completely altered the global landscape of cricket. It’s difficult to imagine how the game’s popularity exploded in India following the World Cup victory in 1983. Indian demography ensured that the game’s popularity spread to every nook and cranny of the country, prompting experts to refer to cricket as nothing less than a religion in the country. So much so that the revenue generated in India now accounts for nearly 70% of the cricketing world’s revenue, making the sport not only profitable for administrators but also an extremely appealing proposition for young people, prompting them to pursue the opportunity as a viable professional career. There was no stopping cricket from gaining dominance.
PC: Simon Brunsdon
- T20s, the shortest format of cricket, were introduced by cricket administrators and took the cricketing world by storm. The current generation has taken to the format like a fish does to water. Indeed, the popularity of T20 cricket has reached such dizzying heights that cricketers are willing to forego central contracts as well as the opportunity to play Test cricket. Except in Australia and England, the dwindling population has raised legitimate concerns. Every cricket-playing country where revenue generation is assured has placed a premium on franchise-based league cricket. As a result, Test cricket’s once-dominant position is clearly on the decline. Hopefully, it will be revived sooner rather than later.
