| What does the future hold for the game of cricket? | | | | game have led to increased scoring rates in Test |
| There have been so many changes in the game | | | | cricket. We've also seen a new range of shots being |
| recently that it can become difficult to look too far | | | | played by batsmen. It's likely that further changes will |
| ahead into the future. In this article we do, however, | | | | help to transform the way in which we think about |
| try to do just that. Is cricket about to thrive? | | | | Test cricket. |
| There have been so many forces helping to change | | | | Scores that once seemed possible will now become |
| the game in recent years. We've seen the massive | | | | more usual. Batting averages have been increasing |
| impact of Twenty-20 cricket, particularly driven by | | | | and will surely continue to do so unless something is |
| the success of the Indian Premier League (IPL). | | | | done to tilt the balance of power back in the favour |
| Some countries have embraced the new form of the | | | | of bowlers. |
| game rather more than others. | | | | International cohesion will also be important. It's |
| Then we've had the betting scandals and the | | | | increasingly seemed as though the likes of England |
| Stanford millions, not to mention the increasing | | | | and Australia have been falling out with some other |
| scoring rates and totals that we've been witnessing | | | | nations that have been more keen to embrace |
| in Test Match cricket. Even this longest form of the | | | | change. This is also reflected in the way in which |
| game has been part of the transformation. | | | | Test Match cricket is still held in such high regard |
| So what is to come? Will we see Twenty-20 | | | | within England and Australia. |
| continue to become more and more popular? Are we | | | | The players will also have an impact. Their own |
| to see the end of Test Match cricket as we know | | | | decisions will help to shape the future of the game. |
| it? It seems unlikely that Test cricket will completely | | | | While it may be difficult to know exactly what is to |
| disappear but there will undoubtedly continue to be | | | | come, it seems that there will be no reduction in the |
| changes. | | | | pace of change. |
| As was mentioned above, shorter forms of the | | | | |