Bangladesh Mackay Test: Former England cricketer Michael Atherton opined on the shortened Test matches in this decade. Several Test matches have been finished in 2-3 days in the last few years, with a recent Australia-Bangladesh Mackay Test, which was completed in two days.
Atherton analysed the growing quick finishes in Test cricket, attributing it to several factors. Speaking on Sky Sports during the rain-delayed start to Day 3 of the England vs Pakistan 2nd Test, the former English opener stated that T20 cricket's high-risk batting, bowlers getting an advantage in the World Test Championship period, the DRS technology and a good crop of fast bowlers are reasons for the quick finishes.
"If I give 4-5 reasons from the top of my head, we would go into each one: batting is higher risk now because of T20 cricket. If you take more risk, you have more chance of getting out. There's a good crop of fast bowlers around right now. DRS has had an impact; umpires are more likely to give LBWs.
"Pitches have become more advantageous since the advent of the World Test Championship; teams are generally looking to get home advantage more. So, whether it is turning pitches in India, or seam-friendly pitches in England, pitches have become more bowling-friendly since the advent of WTC," he said.
Atherton also listed the quick finishes in this decade as more than the previous decades, comparing them to the completions in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Sky Sports put a graphic of the day-wise finishes in the last decades, as Atherton detailed on them.
"Pitches have become more advantageous since the advent of the World Test Championship; teams are generally looking to get home advantage more. So, whether it is turning pitches in India, or seam-friendly pitches in England, pitches have become more bowling-friendly since the advent of WTC," he said.
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"In the last decade (from 2017-current), there have been nine occasions where Test matches have finished in two days, and there wasn't a single two-day Test between 1946 and 2000. The Test matches are going quicker," he said.