"England are improving the Test format"- Michael Vaughan bats for four-day Tests as future of the format
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan believes the ultra-aggressive approach from captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, also known as 'Bazball', has shown that the duration of a Test can be reduced to four days to make it more exciting.
Both games of the ongoing Test series between India and England finished on the fourth day and Vaughan feels one of the main reasons for it was the way the visitors took the game forward with their attacking approach.
In his column for The Telegraph, here's what Michael Vaughan wrote about the future of Test cricket:
"I know people around the world get bored of us harping on about the benefits of Bazball. I don’t think Test cricket needs saving, because there’s enough interest to sustain it. But I do think England are improving the format and offering a way forward."
The 49-year-old added:
"If Tests were scheduled to last four days, you could play a three-match series in consecutive weeks, running Thursday to Sunday, making it more commercially viable. You could force players to bowl 90 overs, even if that meant finishing late."
England's win against India in Hyderabad and West Indies' triumph at the Gabba against Australia are results that could continue to fuel the interest of the cricketing audience in the longest format of the game.
Michael Vaughan on how Test cricket can be improved
Michael Vaughan understands that certain star players who back an aggressive brand of cricket sometimes opt out of being available for Tests and play in lucrative T20 leagues instead.
The Englishman feels that a dedicated window for Test cricket coupled with the duration being reduced to four days per game could attract these aggressive players to feature in whites. On this, he stated, via the aforementioned source:
"I’ve argued for Test-designated windows and think that would help too. I believe it would excite more players to play the format because there would be alternatives for them to play, and four-day Tests would mean there was a need for speed that would see more attacking players selected."
He added:
"Every time I watch Glenn Maxwell bat I wonder how he’s played so little Test cricket, for instance. I want all players to believe Test cricket is for them."
The third Test between India and England will be played at Rajkot beginning on February 15. The two teams have played some exhilarating cricket and it promises to be an arm-wrestle right till the end of the series.