Changes that could make Test cricket more interesting

Test Cricket has a long history of 140 years. The first ever test match was played in March 1877. Test matches have seen their glory days. There was a time when only Test cricket was played. It was the success of Test Cricket that gave birth to ODI cricket.

Since then, limited overs cricket has grown in stature. Due to the pace of limited overs cricket, Test cricket has taken a backseat in the excitement level of the audience. The number of people watching limited overs cricket is far more than those watching Tests.

The purists still prefer watching Test cricket over a short 3-and-a-half hour game of T20 cricket. Also, Test cricket is still the most difficult format to play due to its various elements.

Playing out the first hour of a new day, seeing through some time left in the session, sticking to the line and length and earn a wicket, tiring out the opposition and then declaring are all beautiful parts of the game that are absent in limited overs cricket.

But, due to the lack of glamour and the big shots, Test cricket is losing its audience. So, to make people interested in Test cricket, there have to be some measures taken. Here are some of the measures to make Test cricket exciting, keeping in mind it does not lose its key elements.

Note: Day/Night Tests have not been talked about in this article as the author feels it is different from the orthodox Day Tests and it changes the way Test cricket should be played.

Microphone on fielders

Microphones can be attached to some fielders who will give insights on what the team's current plans are, or what plan is currently being executed to get a batsman out, or what the team is looking to do in the current situation.

This has been tried in limited overs cricket, but can surely be tried in Test cricket too. The batsman should obviously not be disturbed as the format needs a lot of concentration from the batsmen.

This will increase the number of people watching the game on their television sets or mobile phones. The fans like their favourite cricketers talking.

Also, not many people understand the plans going on to a specific batsman and seem to get bored by watching the opposition batsmen playing for a long time. Youngsters watching the game may get to learn some of the tricks of the longer format.

Commentary radio inside stadium

In England, Sky Sports and TMS commentaries can be heard on the headset provided at the stadiums. Similarly, these commentary radios can be made available in India too.

The people who have used these radios have quite enjoyed it and loved its design and functioning

It is just a lightweight headphone that can be used to listen to the commentary going on live on Sky Sports during a game. It can be boring to watch a slow moving day of Test cricket inside a cricket stadium. This headphones will be of great use to listen to commentary.

The commentators provide a lot of stats and interesting facts about the game. The intensity created by commentators is much better than just looking at a player celebrating his or her milestone.

It is like watching live streaming of the cricket match, but inside a stadium and not on a TV or mobile screen.

A lot of people could be encouraged to watch the match inside a stadium by this.

Installing a helmet-mounted camera

This has also been experimented with in the past, and a few batsmen have said it does not affect their concentration. So this could potentially get the green light in Test cricket.

Such cameras were set on the umpires' hats in the IPL as well, and at the time, people liked it a lot. That camera was also useful to check where the bowler's foot landed on the crease while bowling.

This look at the cricketer's perspective could make things interesting for fans.

Triangular Series

A triangular series can be initiated among nations that have similar conditions. A triangular series would mean that there will a point system in place.

A point system creates some tactical changes in the approach of a team towards the game. The triangular series in ODIs was welcomed very well by the audience and one could expect Test Triangular Series to be competitive successful.

We might see a lot of games giving results rather than ending in a draw, and make the game interesting.

A Test Championship is to be conducted in 2019 and it will have point system. The triangular series can prove to be a shorter version of a long Test championship.

Conclusion:

These measures can certainly make Test cricket exciting and help the format gain audience.

There have been a lot of performances lately that are engaging fans in Test cricket. Test cricket just needs a boost and these measures will provide exactly that.