India currently locked horns with Bangladesh in a one-off Test match in Hyderabad, which was deemed to be a historic Test for the fact that Bangladesh played a Test in India after 16 years. India, quite expectedly came out trumps to humble the visitors by 208 runs.
But the doubt lies at the prominence of these games and their contribution to Test cricket. Test cricket is synonymous to persistence, willpower and an unflustered mindset, and a one-off Test has lower chances to create much impact.
Runs may be piled on, wickets may fall down or entertainment may reach its peak, but for the long term, one-off Tests hold little significance. We have compiled five reasons for which a single-match Test series serves no purpose.
#5 The series ends even before it starts
In the era of fast-paced lifestyle, time canters along at the speed of gazelles and 24 hours seems far less than what actually it is. Quite naturally, it takes time for people to adjust themselves to a new trend and settle into a rhythm with the change.
A cricket series is no different where the public doesn’t get themselves off the mark alongside the first delivery of the series. This is where one-off Test matches are hardly of any importance, especially for the fans, simply because of the fact that five days aren’t long enough to get in sync with a series.
A 3-Test series or for that matter a 5-Test series serves a handy purpose as it spans for more than a couple of weeks, allowing the fans to take their time into knowing the whereabouts and the intricacies of the series.
#4 Revenge gets eliminated
In a one-off Test match, both teams get only a solitary shot at victory and there’s no chance of a comeback if things go haywire in the first attempt. There are times when teams take their time to get insights into the strategies of their oppositions, which comes handy during the next matches.
On the contrary, a longer series provides with the opportunities for the teams to resurrect a derailed beginning to the series. One-off Test matches also aren’t full proof of a team’s ability and is equivalent to a lottery.
Teams also might feel aggrieved for the fact that they aren’t served with a chance of clawing back in the series and also for not being able to lift the trophy on the basis of just one match.
#3 Not a fair judge of fitness
In an era of rigorous cricket, fitness is hard to rule out and holds a significant part in the game. Keeping the muscles active is a must for sustaining the rigours of the sport and should be of top priority. Often it happens that players pull a muscle or develop niggles after playing the first Test.
This is where a one-off Test doesn’t test fitness levels for a cricket, be it a batsman, bowler or a wicket keeper. If a player is able to sustain their fitness for an extended time span, then it’s a testament of their fortitude and endurance.
A series longer than one match always strains the stamina of cricketers and pushes them to strive an extra yard, which a one-off Test doesn’t provide.
#2 No test of skills
Albeit there are video analysts for tracing down the strengths and deficiencies in an opposition, hands-on experiences are priceless for teams, which can’t be acquired from videos and machines. After one Test, players are more or less accustomed to their rival’s characteristics.
From the second Test onwards, the actual examination of skills starts when players try hard to out-skill their counterparts. In a one-off Test, time runs off in identifying each other and when it’s actually recognised, the series comes to an end.
A batsman likes to sit on the back foot and doesn’t enjoy taking out the front foot and this is exactly a bowler has to identify to work out the batsman in a Test series, but unfortunately a single Test is not enough to utilise the gained skills.
#1 No fluctuations in fortunes
Popularity of Test cricket went downhill over the last decade or so, which has attributed to Day-Night Test cricket to be introduced. This is where the advertisement of Test cricket takes center-stage, which can’t be compromised by any stretch of the imagination.
A single Test match can either be an exciting cliffhanger or a dull run-fest, but a three-Test or a test series compromising of more Tests can be a blend of everything, which’s fundamental for the huckster of Test cricket.
A one-off Test fails to generate the hype and excitement, which isn’t the case for a longer Test series. The match may hold any other significance, but a cricketing reason is hard to understand in a one Test series.
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