Stakeholders seem to have little respect for Test cricket
20 Jan. (CRICKETNMORE) - Why are South Africans considered the top-rated travellers in international cricket? Because, they have an impeccable winning record overseas in all conditions. A team that can do so well, away from home, cannot be beaten easily.
India played eight first-class games before the first Test at Nottingham, another two before the second Test at Lord's, two more before the third at Leeds, four tour matches before the fourth at Manchester and six before the last Test at the Oval.
They played five more matches before the tour ended! In all they played 35 matches, including 33 first-class. It was also a 17-member squad, Abbas Ali Baig joining from Oxford when Vijay Manjrekar had to undergo a knee surgery.
Twelve years later, when India won their first series win in England, their tour schedule remained more or less the same, the team playing eight matches before the first Test, two each between the first, second and third Tests.
Surprise of surprises, the players had to reluctantly play four more matches after winning the series!
