LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 04: Mohammed Siraj of India greets the crowd after being announced as the player of the match on day five of the 5th Rothesay Test Match at The Kia Oval on August 04, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
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“What the world witnessed today was pure Test cricket magic. The Oval delivered one of the most gripping contests in the history of the sport,” Jay Shah, the chairman of the International Cricket Council, wrote on his X account at the end of the dramatic final knockings in South London. Those who were lucky enough to witness the events unfold between England and India over six gripping weeks would testify to the power of the five-day game.
It has been called one of the best Test series since the 2005 Ashes, creating personality-driven narratives that made the game transcend the cricket. There were record viewing figures for both the BBC and Sky Sports. The Hundred feels like a second-rate cartoon animation in comparison.
Almost a year ago to the day, Shah was already making plans to create a fund for the survival of Test cricket. “While the T20 is a naturally exciting format, it is equally important that Test cricket remains a priority for everyone as it forms the bedrock of our game. We must see to it that cricketers are driven to the longer format and our efforts will be channelised towards this goal,” Shah said in a statement issued by the BCCI, just three months before his official inauguration.
In his previous position as BCCI Secretary, Shah had already mentioned the problems associated with Test cricket, including the expense involved in hosting matches. South Africa are the World Test champions, having beaten Australia at Lord’s in June, but they do not make money from hosting series.
The next home series for the Proteas is October 2026. In what other universe are champions so inactive at their own base? It’s like Liverpool announcing that Anfield is out of commission after becoming Premier League winners.
The imbalance between the Big Three of India, England and Australia and the rest has created a schism that requires more than just remedial work. While England and India were putting on a Lord Mayor’s show across the summer with exciting finishes and all matches going to five days, the once mighty West Indies were falling in a heap against Australia, signing off with a grisly 27 all out at Sabina Park. One series was going right to the wire, extolling the fight and spirit of the never-say-die attitude on both sides. The Caribbean cricket community knew they would have to make other plans on days four and five.
The notion of two-tier Test cricket is a contentious one. There are those, like former England skipper Michael Vaughan and former Indian coach Ravi Shastri, who advocate that the best should play the best as much as possible to avoid mismatches. Recent talks at the annual ICC Conference in Singapore are thought to have centred around a structure that includes the Big Three plus South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand in tier one, with West Indies, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe making up the second. The English Cricket Board is not keen, but there is some agreement between most parties that change is needed somewhere.
The other nations can never progress or test themselves without taking on the big boys. Zimbabwe’s Test against England in May- their first in the United Kingdom for 22 years – felt like a gentle warm-up act for the Indian series. Crowds, sponsors and broadcasters are drawn towards an even contest rather than a lopsided one, but the next series on the line is the Ashes down under. England have lost 13 of their last 15 Tests in Australia. Some argue that might be the biggest mismatch of all, but ticket sales are booming with all opening days sold out from Perth to Sydney.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 14: Ben Stokes of England celebrates the wicket of KL Rahul of India with his team after a review during Day Five of the 3rd Rothesay Test Match between England and India at Lord’s Cricket Ground on July 14, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
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When Test match cricket gets a shot in the arm, like the England and India series, the effect reverberates. Virat Kohli has walked away from the whites recently, but his parting shot was to urge young, upcoming stars to excel in the most traditional form of the game.
“If you want to earn respect, take up Test cricket,” said the Indian legend. It’s a good call, but the protected status of the purest form of the game is still under threat. Another classic Ashes, 20 years on, will keep the red ball burning.