Test match cricket and boring? If you’ve been watching test cricket in the recent past and your perception on the format has not changed then we’re sorry, your definition of thrill, curiosity and entertainment does not match ours.

Not even 24 hours since we witnessed a low-scoring thriller in the Caribbean, that the home side won by a wicket against Pakistan. Today, just as we were approaching the final hour of a cliffhanger at Lord’s, the winner emerged after being in a position to lose on the morning of the very same day they claimed the victory. Talk about test cricket remaining in a state of stagnancy and a crisis.

The viewers being despondent at the format lies in the mundane nature of it. But on the contrary, the crowds have relished watching high quality test match cricket being played between two teams that push each other to lift their standards of the game. A nearly-packed ground rallied behind the respective teams they support and that really proved to be a game-changer for those standing under the sun for nearly half a day. Every run that Pujara scored at his pace was followed by a loud cheer from the fans. What does that tell you? That the audience enjoys and respects the hard grind the game demands. Provided that the fans are served sport of the highest calibre.

Just like the progression of life, the format always gives you a second chance to identify and correct your mistakes. Who knew Virat would be jumping in ecstacy on the fifth day, when he was throwing his belongings in disappointment as he was dismissed the previous day. The Pujara-Rahane duo went from being termed as “finished” to now, “saviors” after the gritty 100-run partnership that they shared.

As we talk about the game that transpired, we noticed contrasting methods to succeed by England, more so out of helplessness, and India. Root and Anderson, with the value that they brought to the side, were the only players that challenged the opposition. Meanwhile, India’s team effort to win the game was practiced to such perfection that one forgets the majestic hundred that KL Rahul notched up on day one of the test match. Clearly, the latter route resulted in the better finish.

From the perspective of an Indian fan, so much has changed as the generations of cricketers have played the game, from the team’s strengths to how they approach the format. At the post-match presentation when Rahul said, “If you have a go at one of our guys, all eleven will come right back (at you),” you know there has been a shift of attitude regarding the verbal banters since the win-at-all-costs attitude of the Kohli era was sown in 2014.

And, how many times have you seen an Indian side in the past looking to attack the opposition in an away test with fiery bouncers and six fielders around the bat? It’s one of the subtly proud moments that the Indian fan would cherish after seeing decades of inconsistent fast bowling on foreign shores.

The contribution of the tail shall not go unnoticed because those were the runs that gave India the guile to go for the declaration before being rescued from a precarious situation by them. From averaging around 10, collectively, to outscoring the batters, no wonder the tail has stepped up big time.

If the Lord’s test was an indication of what can be further expected between the two sides, we are in for a cracker of a series.

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