Sharjah: The evolution of different formats in cricket has changed the landscape the way gentlemen’s game has been played in its history of 175 years.

The game that started with a six-day format has been reduced to 10-over-a-side, excluding Hong Kong Sixes, which is just a five-over-a-side format with only six players in each team.

These shorter formats are not only drawing fans to the stadium but also enthralling them with exciting finishes that has become a permanent feature of almost every game of shorter formats like T20s and T10s.

In the recently concluded T10Cricket League (TCL) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium (SCS), there was a capacity crowd on all five days during the tournament.

No doubt, in the fast-paced world, the Test viewership has dwindled drastically in some part of the world. And the format has been written off by many, who find it dull and dingy.

Four-day Test

Test matches are impervious to the time pressures of the outside world. They have stood the trial of time for over-a-century-and-half. But the very notion of a Test match being a five-day entity is in peril now.

Recently in the first-ever four-day Test, South Africa thrashed Zimbabwe. But the experiment failed as the match got over in just two days.

However, the move did not get a thumbs-up from the cricketing fraternity. Both present and past cricketers joined the clamor and spoke in unison to defy the move in order to preserve the integrity of the game.

Of course, to make it more interesting in order to woo the fans, the very essence of the game should not be changed.

The administrators should realize Test matches are marathon of cricket and shorter formats sprint races. Both can co-exist with the dignity. Test matches have a charm of their own.

The Ashes

In the on-going Ashes series between England and Australia, it was evident there are still fans, who like to watch their national heroes in traditional whites slogging out to salvage the pride of their nations.

Ashes depicts the oldest rivalry between the first two Test playing nations of the world. It is a still considered as a matter of pride for the players of either side to be a part of the Ashes.

This is the one cricketing event that draws the most attention both on and off the pitch. Every action done, every word spoken is scrutinized, discussed and debated as England and Australia try to outclass each other to get hold of priceless urn year after year.

Despite series being decided after England’s third consecutive defeat in the third match, Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) - host to traditional Boxing Day Test - witnessed a capacity crowd in the fourth Test.

Dull draws

The dull draws in the Test matches is often cited as a reason for the lack of interest of the fans. Test matches do end in draw at times. But that is how it is supposed to be. If you cannot win it, don’t lose it as well.

In spite of that, the facts are astonishing. A total of 47 Tests were played in 2016 and seven of them ended in draw. That is just 15 per cent.

Indo-Pak rivalry

Any discussion about cricket cannot be completed without the mention of Indo-Pak cricketing rivalry.

The matches between the two south Asian neighbors are most watched and followed.

But owing to the political tension between the two nations, both have not played a bilateral series for over decade, depriving fans on the either side of the border of the most-awaited cricketing action.

With the political tension increasing between the two countries, a bilateral series in near future looks like an elusive dream.

Best performances

India finished the year 2017 with 124 points as the top team in Test to be followed by South Africa with 111 in second.

While in the ODIs, it was vice-versa. Proteas remained on the top of the table to be followed by India in the second. South Africa finished the year with 120 points, beating India by just one point, who managed to collect 119 points.

Australian skipper Steve Smith ruled the roost as a batsman in Test matches. He finished the year on top spot with 945 points in the ICC rankings, to be followed by Indian skipper Virat Kohli in the second spot with a distant 893 points only. Smith has scored three centuries in the on-going Ashes series.

In the ODIs, Kohli turned the table by topping the list with South Africa’s AB de Villiers finishing close second.

It is James Anderson of England, who pipped all to get hold of the numero uno spot in the Test rankings for bowlers, accumulating 892 points. Kagiso Rabada of South Africa was second, just 16 points behind the Englishman, leading India’s Ravindra Jadeja by six points, in third.

In the ODI bowlers ranking, it is Hassan Ali of Pakistan who hogged the limelight, finishing the year on the top of the world with 759 points. Imran Tahir of South Africa remains second.