Calls On Bat Sizes & Pink Tests the Right Ones for Test Cricket

Let’s face it. Test cricket outside of Ashes contests and a few others is struggling for relevance. The game has changed irretrievably towards the T20 Revolution. T20 has been like a run away train that continues to go through the gears. Fans have been captivated, rating through the roof. Tournaments like the IPL, Big Bash and World T20 are intense, high quality and played in front of packed stadiums. Everything you want in a sporting competition.  
 
As somewhat of a purist though it’s important to look for ways that Test Cricket can thrive well into the 21st century. Test Cricket remains a unique and fascinating sporting contest. It runs the rule over every aspect of a players make up. Their technique, their mindset, their fitness, their skills, their adaptability. Played at its best its gripping, at its worse though it can be tepid.
 
At a glance, things look bleak, verging on ugly for Test cricket globally. Outside of England and Australia series are played in front of near empty stands. Pakistan can’t play at home, West Indies have become an embarrassment, and the amount of captivating and memorable series played seems to be decreasing by the year.
 
Even in a test stronghold like Australia crowds in 2015/16were underwhelming. Brisbane played host to a particularly sparse crowd as Australia overcome the Kiwis. Pitches are often flat, placid, benign, roads, belters, highways - call them whatever you want - but they’re not good for the game. First innings scores of 500+ result in a one-sided contest between bat and ball.
 
Players such as Mark Taylor, Michael Slater, David Boon and Mark Waugh fought, scraped and clawed their way to averages in the low 40s for Australia. I would argue they would might average over 50 in this era. They played in an era where wickets had variance, boundry ropes were not bought in 30 metres - where bowling attacks like the West Indies, Pakistan and South Africa carried genuine menace. An era when bats were stock standard, not the lethal weapons carried by modern batsman today.
 
Getting back a balance between bat and ball is crucial to reigniting Test Cricket. Plenty has been done for batsman over the last 20 years - bigger bats, faster outfields, smaller boundaries, flatter wickets, power plays and free hits. Where does it end? And what has been done for bowlers?
 
The recent Pink Test was the highlight of a rather forgettable Test summer in Australia. As a shadow West Indies squad were humbled over Christmas and New Year, the Pink Ball Test was the only game that was both closely contested and compelling from a spectator’s viewpoint. With the swinging ball back in play, a batsman's technique was tested like rarely it is now on modern-day pitches.
 
Whilst the Test only lasted 3 days, the crowd jammed the Adelaide Oval and left fans hanging for more in the future. Whilst the balance between bat and ball might have gone the other way a bit too far, re creating that genuine contest is the key to Test cricket revival.