Intelligence Squared What Does Test Cricket Reveal About the Legacy of Empire? With Tim Wigmore
Nov 26, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Tim Wigmore, Deputy Cricket Correspondent and author of 'Test Cricket: A History', delves into the evolution of Test cricket since its 1877 inception. He examines the sport's inequalities and how factors like race and infrastructure shape who competes. Tim also explores cricket's ties to the British Empire, India's rise in the game, and the coexistence of the IPL with Test cricket. Furthermore, he highlights the significance of captaincy, the ongoing competitive imbalance, and the unique rituals of Test fandom.
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Why Test Cricket Endures
- Test cricket's defining feature is its multi-day format with two innings per side, creating unique narratives of redemption and adaptability.
- The format demands versatility across vastly different conditions and rewards long-term strategic plotting over a series.
Money Shapes Competitive Balance
- Financial imbalances make smaller Test nations vulnerable to losing players to short-format leagues like T20.
- Competitive balance is crucial because one-sided Tests become tedious over multiple days and harm the sport's appeal.
Cricket's Early Arrival In India
- Cricket reached India via British merchants; the Kolkata Cricket Club formed in 1792 as the first club outside Britain.
- In Bombay, Parsis, Hindus and Muslims formed communal teams that became politically significant as India moved toward partition.
