BENGALURU: Did India’s victory over Sri Lanka within the first three days of the Mohali Test surprise you? What about England’s loss to Australia in Hobart on Day 3 in January?
If the answer is yes, you might have not been following the longer format close enough. In the last couple of years, Test matches have hardly lasted five days. A deeper look at the worldwide results throw up some interesting numbers.
In 2020, 12 of the 22 Test matches finished on either Day 3 or 4. Likewise, 44 matches were played the following year, and 20 were done and dusted in first four days. And if one breaks up those 20 matches, 12 and six games ended on Day 4 and 3, respectively.
Interestingly, two days proved to be enough for a win twice as well. In 2022, so far, where 10 Tests have already been played, two have ended on Day 4 and four on Day 3.
Closer to home, India have been a dominant unit. They have just lost two matches at home(against Australia in 2017 and England in 2021) in the last five years. They played three Tests in 2018, winning two inside the third day with a margin of an innings and more. In 2019, they played five and won all, four of them inside Day 4 by an innings and more. A similar trend has followed in the next couple of years.
When it comes to India, pitches have played a role with spinners Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and R Ashwin troubling the batters.
One has to remember that Test matches in India earlier would last for five days, but it seems that the batters these days lack the required temperament. The Mohali Test is a perfect example, where Sri Lanka batters failed to deliver against spinners.
It is also important to note that the Islanders have been brought up playing in similar tracks in their country.
“Batters are not upto the mark when they play against quality bowlers. You have to struggle and get the runs, which you do not see these days. These days, if the ball turns a lot, the batters don’t know what to do,” former India coach Anshuman Gaekwad said.
Full story: newindianexpress.com