Bhubaneswar, Aug 4: People, especially the new-gen fans or should I say the T20 cricket fans, often say: “Test cricket is boring.” And the reason, as they would say, it’s too long, too slow, too defensive, and most importantly, not much boundaries in quick successions.

Seriously!!! Well …at least the real cricket fans, who understand the game would say: “Test is the best. It’s the pinnacle of the game itself.” And being frank, I completely agree.

A swinging red cherry zooms past the bat, a seaming ball whiz past the helmet on a bouncy turf, and even a 130kmph delivery feels like a 145-150kmph ball on given conditions, a spinner weaving his magic with his fingers or wrist to tease a batter …well these things can only be experienced in Test cricket — ultimate battle of skill, endurance, and heart, and the ultimate form of the game.

If that not excites you, the game occasionally gives the fans some matches that bring everyone Goosebumps or a nail-biting feeling which we often feel in a few instances in white ball cricket like an India-Pakistan game, or an ICC tournament final.

English, or even Australian fans would say that the Ashes is the peak of Test, or the biggest rivalry. Indians and Pakistanis would say that their matches are even bigger than Ashes. But is it?

As a cricket fan, for me, it’s the game itself that transcends the rivalries. And Test is its peak. If you conquer Test, you are something. The legends we talk about — Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Brian Lara, Don Bradman, Viv Richards, Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh, Shane Warne, Muttiah Muralitharan, Glenn McGrath, Anil Kumble, James Anderson, and many more — always prefer the Tests over white-ball format. They have conquered Tests and now they are the idols of many modern-day greats.

And the Oval in London gave the game ‘A Test for Ages’. The match had everything — thrill, drama, bravery, mockery, Goosebumps, and heroics. On top of it, India got a true leader in bowling — Mohammed Siraj.

Siraj, within just 24 hours, turned into a hero, a leader, from almost becoming a villain — when he gave Harry Brook a lifeline on 19 and the Englishman went on to score a splendid 111. However, it was his spell that helped India level the series.

His performance grabbed applauds from opposition coach Brendon McCullum as well, especially for the speed he was bowling at despite playing all the five Tests, which in itself, is a testament to his dedication towards the nation and to the game.

And honestly, there came a time when Siraj too have felt the pain of Prasidh Krishna, another hero of the match, when he held on to a catch (Brook’s) off the latter’s bowling and touched the boundary line making it a six instead of a wicket. When Siraj was bowling, Akash Deep dived for a catch only to parry it for a six, the batter — Gus Atkinson — and most importantly, it was when England were needing only 17 to win. He had the last laugh though, when he uprooted Atkinson’s off-stump to seal the deal in India’s favour.

And the feeling — ecstasy for India and agony for England.

It was not just Siraj’s win or Prasidh’s, or even a win for newly-appointed skipper Shubman Gill or under-fire coach Gautam Gambhir. It was purely a triumph for Test cricket. After 46 days of Test cricket, the series might have ended in a draw, but the game of cricket has won. The ultimate format of the game — Test — has won.

A man, with dislocated shoulder, walks out to bat with a hand strapped and in sling, why? …Only for his team, to help his teammates, who put every ounce of their sweat and blood to make up for his absence. Hats off to Chris Woakes.

Then, how come the Test is boring when, in the end, a Test match gets a result like T20s — a win/loss margin of only six runs!!! If you still feel Test cricket is boring, may the Cricket God bless you.

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