GQ India – July 2019

P O W E R P L AY

I

t seemed almost natural – the progression from

the IPL, arguably the world’s biggest 20-over

extravaganza, to the World Cup, the biggest

international 50-over tournament. But what

happens once the kings of ODI (preferably us) are

crowned on July 14? For those who prefer international

competitions to the domestic leagues that pepper the

cricket calendar, here’s something to look forward to: the

first ever World Test Championship, which is putting the

game’s most traditional format firmly in the spotlight.

Historically, Test cricket has been played as a

standalone contest, never towards a common goal.

The World Test Championship is now attempting to

provide perspective to this traditional format – and, in

the process, help it find more relevance for today’s fast-

paced generation of fans.

This is not the first time that the ICC has attempted

a Test tournament. Back in 1909, the then-called

Imperial Cricket Conference created a Future Tests

Programme: England, Australia and South Africa,

the three Test-playing nations at the time, would play

each other in England in 1912. Unfortunately, the

one-sidedness of the contest and a wet summer turned

the whole affair into a damp squib, with World War I

bringing the FTP to a definitive end.

There were more attempts over the years: the Asian

Test Championship in 1998-1999 and again in 2001-2002,

which failed due to political tensions between India and

Pakistan; and a four-year edition that was meant to

commence in 2009, but was postponed to 2017, and then

again. This edition looks good to go: a two-year league

phase in which all nine top-ranked Test teams will play

each other, with the two best meeting for a final on June

10, 2021, in England.

And how better to tee things off than The Ashes –

a contest that predates even the modern Olympics?

England are itching to lay their hands on the coveted

urn they relinquished to Australia a year-and-a-half ago.

As for India: Virat Kohli & Co travel to the US and

the West Indies to play all three formats (the Tests

will be part of the Championship), host South Africa in

October, Bangladesh in November, Australia in January,

and then travel to New Zealand in February. Which all

just means: Things aren’t slowing down any time soon.

WORDS: ABHISHEK MUKHERJEE. IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES

TESTING

THE WATERS

You’ve spent the past five months cheering on

your favourite limited-overs teams. Now, it’s time

to give a different format of the game a go

(Left) Jasprit Bumrah was

instrumental in India’s

historic Test series win

against Australia last

December; (Below) A new

way to watch cricket: from a

fieldside pool at The Gabba

in Brisbane, Australia