Test cricket is the ultimate form of cricket and is also the oldest form of cricket.
It is the form of cricket that was played firstly in the late 19th century. It is a format that requires a ‘Test-status’ as determined by the ICC to be considered as a Test-playing nation. From losing its charm due to the advent of short-form cricket, it was seen during the World Test Championships that the popularity of Test cricket is always there for true cricket fans.
The excitement and thrill is different when compared to other forms of cricket. The test of the best of abilities takes place and the true quality of players, as well as teams, can be classified – and this can only be known by looking at the performances of the teams.
Test cricket is a real test of a player’s mental, physical (fitness), technical, tactical, and skill set abilities and attributes over 5 days of a changing pitch and weather conditions and in different match situations that players need to adapt to. There is no other game like it.
In this particular analysis, we will be looking at a few of the major Test cricket playing nations of all time and looking at their performance data from the last 20 years of playing Test cricket. We will see if they have progressed in recent times considering the last 20 years of performance data.
The Black Caps turning Gold
First of all, let us look at the winners of the first-ever World Test Championship 21′ and also the no. 1 in the ICC Test rankings, New Zealand.
The presence of world-class players with breath-taking stats is pretty admirable. Around 8 years ago they were numbered 8 at Test ranking leaving them ahead of only Bangladesh. If we look at the below graphical representation of performance over the last two decades, we will find that New Zealand is playing best of their Test cricket only during this decade. Also, the black caps are seen to be playing most no. of series in the period of 2012-17 with also good no. of wins when compared to the period from 2000-2011.
The graph 2018-21 speaks and reveals the story of recent times and say- why they are the best when considered to stats of recent times. They are proving to be an inspiration for generations across the world. Currently, we can see the level of professionalism in their gameplay and thus we can claim the period from 2012-21 as the ‘golden period’ in Test cricket for New Zealand.
Within the period of 2018-21 NZ has played 13 series where they have claimed 11 wins along with a draw. The exposure to Test cricket for NZ from the period of 2012 to recent times can also be seen increasing from the stats below and this can also be a reason for their huge success in this format of the game over time.
Men in Blue’s ultimate Test
India has a great contribution in terms of success to each of the three formats of the game and has also showcased their class recently during the World Test Championship 21′. We can say that Test cricket came to life again in India and abroad or the interest between the masses got boosted from their Test performances in Australia where India played superbly against all odds.
They were at their peak of performances especially after so many downfalls along the way. Winning in Australia was a remarkable achievement especially with so many youngsters having to come into the team and perform. India has a great pool of talented players in all formats of the game, waiting for their chances to be selected and show the world what they have to offer.
The graphical representation shown below depicts that India is improving and their numbers can also be seen reflecting from the period of 2012-21. This decade India has been playing some really good Test cricket, making them a tough competitor against any team considering any playing conditions.
In the period of 2018-21, India can be seen playing 11 series out of which they have won 8. Also, they are at no. 2 in the current ICC Test rankings of nations. The exposure to Test series’ is low when compared to stats of New Zealand but it can also be seen that India has always been prominent and consistent (considering the graph below) considering this decade’s Test performance.
Aussies and their awesomeness
With a great legacy in cricket and from proving themselves as the best several times with the most one-day World cup titles, Australia is in the list right after the Men in blue considering the rankings in Test cricket.
A slight downfall in the performance can be seen when we look at the graph below thus confirming the fact that they had their best of the days in Test cricket during the previous decade or from the period of 2000-2011. From playing most of the series (22) during the period of 2012-17 and while winning 11 and 3 draws, their performance from the period of 2018-present is not overwhelming considering their standards. With a rich history of champions and an admirable list of great cricketers who have left an unforgettable mark, Australia is expected to bounce back with regards to their overall performance in Test cricket very soon.
The English Expectancy
England has been playing their national sport since time immemorial and they are also the current ODI World champions. They are at no. 4 in the current Test cricket rankings. Compared to the above nations, England has played considerably more no. of Test series for the period of 2018-21 but winning only a few. From the graph below it is clear that they had their best of the days in Test cricket towards the previous decade or from the period of 2000-05. Playing most no. of series during the period 2012-17, they managed to win in 10 of them which is not at par considering their standards. Fans expect a lot out of the English cricketers and English cricket. Also, it is quite evident from the final of the 2019 ODI World Cup that we should never stop expecting top performances from of the great English cricketers.
South African sluggishness
With a great history with red-ball cricket and also the third country to start playing Test cricket, the Proteas has not been up to the mark with their game as per their standards are concerned. Now, considering the stats of the last 20 years in Test cricket- a land known for its extra-ordinary class cricketers and with out-of-the-box fielders has been always a surprise for fans and are a kind of expectancy that fans usually put forward. The graph below says that the performance in Test cricket for South Africa is improving only from this decade when compared to stats of previous years.
Carry on Caribbean
West Indian cricket during the 1990’s was an example of the country’s cricketing fortunes – they were one of the best team in the world back then, but by the end of the 20th century, had fallen well below those standards. The no. of Test series played during this decade is comparatively less when compared to the last decade. West-Indies is a team with some renowned cricketers of all time. There used to be a time when they used to be a raging force in Test cricket with high standards. No doubt they are admirable in terms of limited-overs cricket of recent times, but considering the period in Test cricket from 2012 to present- we can see from the data representation below that they are comparatively doing well compared to the last decade. In addition to the administrative issues between the West Indian Cricket Board & the players, the rise of international leagues, growing popularity of soccer in the Caribbean may also be a reason for the downfall of the quality in Test cricket.
Home vs Away Test cricket stats- who’s good where?
From the graphical representation of data below, it is quite evident that England has the highest no. of wins in home conditions since the year 2000 and followed by India in the second. It is also seen that both Australia and South Africa has the highest no. of away wins followed by India. The four countries are also the ones dominating this format of the game over the decades.
Conclusion
To conclude we can say that the data speaks a lot about the current positions of the respective nations in Test cricket. Over the years, Test cricket has lost its charm over limited-overs matches but with the advent of some interesting series and tournaments for Test cricket, the excitement and involvement can be seen arising among the fans. With New Zealand playing most no. of Test series for this decade and also winning most of them is something which proves their greatness and position in Test cricket. Also, considering their current records it is quite evident that they’re playing their best Test cricket compared to all the times. Last but not least the data also speaks about India and its consistency over the years in this form of the game. Test cricket will surely set new benchmarks in the years to come.