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Given the pace at which test cricket is currently poayed by the best exponents of the format, has the time come to look at reducing the number of days a test match should be completed?

How much is saved by sponsors, hosts, spectators, and most importantly, broadcasters by reducing the length of a test match to 4 days instead of 5?

Would be interesting to see what the data over say the past 5 years in particular reveals.

4 days is optimal...but icc must penalise boards for preparing dead pitches in that case

In reply to imusic

Five days is definitely too long for a Test match between Australia and India, especially with their fragile batting line-ups!

They should be made to play four-day Tests....

It is too long for a lot of Test teams as they either want to move the game along quickly if the pitch is flat or if there’s some juice in the pitch the majority of batting line-ups are not technically equipped to deal with it!

It's amazing how some of you think.

This poison of White ball games has corrupted your thinking.

Tests are 5 days.
Get over it.

There will be games which will end in 2, 3, or 4 days.
Most involves some kind of batting collapse.

Take the last Hingland vs Kiwis test.
Total collapse by Kiwis.
Teams no longer look for long innings where players have the chance to break and set records.
Everything is about quick results, quick pace etc.

I'm looking forward to returning to Bim (or Guyana hopefully),
going to a test match and camping out for 5 days of cricketing fun.
I miss that.
This fast pace 50 overs nonsense is good for entertaining the feeble minded new generation.
To see people post crap here is not only annoying, by quite frankly disappointing.

I hope that the mature minds on this MB will say something.

Keep Test cricket live.
5 days, proper cricket and entertainment for the crowd.

Test cricket is not exclusively for the ‘best exponents of the format’.

The big 3 and those that pretend to be part of the big other few will love the game to be more exclusive to them.

That does not grow the game, nor does it preserve the very essence of Test Cricket. A 2-innings T20 may fill the Indian appetite to gorge on cricket while pretending to wear white clothes.

In reply to imusic

While you at it, I think Football should be 45 minutes for lack of scoring and running around aimlessly!