"Test matches should end on the fifth day, not on Day 3 or Day 4" - Harbhajan Singh lauds England and Australia following thrilling result
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh praised England and Australia for showing how Test cricket should be played at a time when it is finding hard to make a place in the cricketing landscape. The two rival sides put on an absolute thriller of a contest, which ended with the Aussies securing a two-wicket win in the dying stages of Day 5 at Edgbaston.
England and Australia battled it out over the course of five days in an evenly matched-encounter, with both sides looking solely for a win. Pat Cummins had the final say in the topsy-turvy encounter, scoring an unbeaten 44 to rescue Australia from 227/8 in their pursuit of the 281-run target.
Claiming that Test matches have to last five days in order for them to survive, Harbhajan Singh said on his YouTube channel:
"Test matches should end on the fifth day itself, not on Day 3 or Day 4. They play matches on good wickets that the spectators enjoy watching, everyone in the world is following this match, a hard-fought battle. Australia and England are showing other teams how to take Test matches into the final day."
Harbhajan Singh recently criticized the nature of the subcontinent pitches that resulted in Test matches culminating well before the final day of play.
Adding that a Test match lasting full five days is an evidence of an even contest between bat and ball, he said:
"At no point in this match there was a feeling that the bat dominated the ball or vice versa. When a Test goes on for five days, you will be presented with a different challenge on each day."
A majority of Tests in recent times have gone down to the final day, with the most notable ones coming during New Zealand's tour of Pakistan and England's tour of New Zealand as well as Sri Lanka's tour of New Zealand.
"I think the decision to declare made sense" - Harbhajan Singh
One of the major talking points of the Test, especially in hindsight, has come in the form of England's decision to declare after 78 overs on Day 1. The hosts declared with the score reading 393/8 with centurion Joe Root unbeaten at one end.
England skipper Ben Stokes has asserted that he has no qualms over the decision and believes it was the right call at the time. Backing Stokes' positive intent, Harbhajan Singh said:
"I think the decision to declare made sense, it was a smart thought. If Test cricket needs to survive, such positive intent needs to be on show more often, which is why this result was possible."
The decision to declare early arguably cost England a chance to build a larger lead, which could have helped them post a bigger target to secure a win.
The second Ashes Test is slated to begin from June 28 onwards at Lord's.