There are many cricket fans around the world, and this is the reason Test Cricket, and later, T20 were created to fulfil their different needs. It is a fact that most cricket lovers like the idea of watching a live cricket match on their TV or on the closest big screen. Test cricket used to be the only cricket format around, but the T20 came along to tickle the fancy of cricket lovers…
Differences between Twenty20 (T20) and Test Cricket
Duration, a cricket test game can last for five days. It is highly unlikely that a test match can be completed within three days. For the T20 cricket, the game only lasts a matter of hours, i.e. 3 hours.
Results, a cricket test match can have four possible results for a team: loss, a win, a draw or a tie. A draw only occurs when time runs out before the completion of a cricket match. For a complete win, a team must score more runs than their opponents and also take all the wickets. For T20, there is no possibility of the occurrence of a draw. For a team to win a T20 match they only need to score more runs; taking all the opponents’ wickets is not a requirement to win.
Number of Overs, in test cricket matches, there is a 90-overs limit for both cricket teams each day. For T20 matches, there are only twenty overs. This is the main reason a test cricket game takes days to complete whereas a Twenty20 match can conclude in 3 hours. The innings for the both teams continue for 75 minutes. In a test match, the number of overs can be unlimited depending on the number of overs a team declares or out all players from the opponent’s side.
To go further: see ICC rules detailed
Test cricket requires the players to be extra fit because they spend many hours on the cricket pitch, for example, batsmen have to be ready to bat for many hours. The bowlers can attack with freedom and can set fielders where they wish; this is very different in T20 cricket. Bowlers are required to bowl more defensively; conceding runs is more vital than taking wickets. This means that batsmen can be more competitive from the beginning of the match; also, the boundaries are more recurrent. Fielders are constrained to where they are positioned in the playing field.
Which Format Do the Fans Enjoy?
Things have changed since the introduction of the T20. Currently, it is normal for the test batsmen to hit big runs with fewer balls than they face in cricket test matches. One group that is certainly enjoying the introduction of the T20 is the fans, and they certainly love it. The Twenty20 is a type of cricket that gets the fans going; it’s for the public to enjoy. Time is shortened and, therefore, fits the modern life.
There is another group of fans and professionals who don’t like this type of cricket; they claim that the cricket player just wasted their skills. Some even go further to argue that T20 is not a platform to judge the quality of a cricketer because the players are always under high pressure to make good scores for their sides. Those against the T20 format also claim that the batsmen are favored making the bowlers be more economical or defensive than attacking. Traditionalists also argue that the new format challenges the players’ adaptability; they claim that it is a real problem for the new cricketers to develop their game by playing T20 at an early age.
Supporters argue that T20 gives new young players a chance to play and this has led to the development of fresh and new talents. Supporters go further to state that, the T20 competitions help the player to train and remain fit for test matches. It requires more skill and strategy, requires more sense of the game and also tests the players’ ability to handle pressure.
For the bookmakers, it is also the opportunity to open a lot more odds, especially live-betting, whereas a 4-5 days match is less exciting. After all, betting on classic competitions can sometimes look like playing slots or roulette with an online casino code, because you have to be very patient before winning something. On the other hand, some would say that it could increase match fixing temptation.
For the fans, the T20 cricket games are more fun and have accelerated their hunger for high-risk cricket plus they take little of their time. On the other hand, test matches are longer and need extra time investment to enjoy.
Taking Test Cricket Back to the Glory Days
One thing is for sure; Traditional cricket has been challenged. This is evident by the low turnout that is currently being experienced in matches. It is up to the ICC to make sure that the glory of traditional cricket is not lost because of the T20 competitions. One solution would be to limit the number of T20s i.e. making them allowable for 3 test series would be a step in the right direction. This will make these two forms of cricket matches to co-exist peacefully.
