Opinion: Test Cricket Entering Biggest Gulf in Standard Since Second World War

After an ever-changing 2022 in test cricket, the gulf in standard is growing now more than ever.

As 2023 nears, there has been tours of sheer dominance and seemingly pointlessness in recent times, suggesting that in the modern era, test cricket has never seen such a wide gap between a top three side and any of the sub-par teams relying on individual performances to keep them afloat.

A lot has changed since the turn of the millennium. Franchise cricket has taken over and with many saying test cricket is dying out, the sheer dominance of ‘Baz-ball’ since the English summer has brought back entertainment.

It is competitiveness where trouble lies in the near future for test cricket. Australia hosting South Africa currently sit 2-0 up in a three-match series with no sign of defeat near while England have recently become the first team to ever whitewash Pakistan in Pakistan.

Even with an out of sorts of past Virat Kohli, India’s test team looks far superior in strength and depth compared to the other nine test-playing nations (Australia and England excluded).

Retirements from the longest format from key players such as Quinton de Kock, Trent Boult and most of the West Indies leaves their respective sides weakening.

In 2023, India start the year by touring Australia in what is expected to be a battle for status as best in the world before England play New Zealand away, a series which looks comfortable for England with Boult’s retirement and their more than competent display on what were expected to be, tricky Pakistani pitches.

The Ashes in the 2023 English summer will look to be a test for if Ben Stokes’ men can keep up their form and playing style against all competitors.

Sides of past greatness and competitive nature such as Sri Lanka playing at home, New Zealand, Pakistan playing in the sub-continent, South Africa and West Indies look to be second-rate competition to the fearless brutality on offer from Australia, England and India of late.

In the last 77 years, there have been teams to dominate for periods of time, but in no time since World War II has there been such a margin between those at the top and the rest.

The West Indian team of the late 1970s to early 1990s perhaps the most noticeable in dominance. Captained by Clive Lloyd and later Viv Richards, they decimated teams from all over the world at home and away, including a white wash over England in 1984 as well as making wins in the subcontinent look easy.

However, during this period the Australians in particular remained competitive as did India and individual starlets from Pakistan in Imran Khan, New Zealand- Richard Hadlee and England- Ian Botham kept wins coming in their various tours.

Australia also had periods of dominance, notably at two points in history. The invincible touring side of England in 1948 which went on to stay unbeaten until 1951 and the Steve Waugh led side in the late 1990s and early 2000s later re-earthed by Ricky Ponting in the late 2000s.

During the Invincibles, only six nations played test cricket with England and Australia being the most frequent with India, South Africa, West Indies and New Zealand remaining outliers.

However, during the late 1990s and early 2000s there was once again competitive sides to push Waugh’s men up against the wall.

South Africa, in particular, had unearthed an all time great in Jacques Kallis while gritty determination from Graeme Smith and Allan Donald in particular gave South Africa their golden generation since returning from the apartheid break in play, in 1992.