Mark Taylor Comes Up With An Interesting Proposal To Revitalise Test Cricket
All Tests in the BGT have ended inside three days [Source: AP]
Former Australian captain Mark Taylor has advocated a novel solution to preserve Test cricket, proposing that teams play four-day Tests instead of the traditional five-day format.
The Australian believes that this change would enable captains to display more boldness and creativity, leading to more exciting matches.
The recent India-Australia Test series has sparked controversy as all three matches concluded in just over two days, with India winning the first two Tests before Australia bounced back in the third.
Speaking to Wide World of Sports, Taylor expressed his belief that cricket must adapt to the times and embrace four-day Tests, which would allow players to have three days off between games. He added that this, in turn, would enhance their performance on the pitch.
The cricketer turned commentator suggested that the matches could be played over Thursday to Sunday, or Friday to Monday, with three days of rest between games.
He acknowledged that high-scoring Test matches are seldom interesting, as they often result in dull draws.
The former captain recommended that if a team finds themselves with a surplus of time on a flat pitch, they should declare earlier. According to him, a thrilling match often involves both sides scoring around 350 runs.
The erstwhile cricketer also concurred with the International Cricket Council's (ICC) review of the Indore pitch used during the India-Australia Test as substandard.
He opined that although it is typical to play on low, slow, turning pitches in India, the ball should not penetrate the surface on the first day of the game. The 58-year-old remarked that the ICC's judgment of the pitch as poor was an understatement.
It is worth mentioning that Taylor’s opinion is aligned with that of the England cricket team, who have opted for result-oriented matches under the captaincy of Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.
They won all three Tests during their series against Pakistan last year, comprehensively defeating their opponents.
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