'It has that tradition' - Adil Rashid gives verdict on 4-day vs 5-day Test cricket debate | Exclusive
Adil Rashid (Source: Mr Cricket UAE)
Published - 26 Dec 2025, 08:03 AM• Read time - 2 mins
The four-day versus five-day Tests debate is among the most hotly contested arguments, pitting tradition against the need for evolution. Advocates of the four-day model argue that it will lead to tighter contests by eliminating boring passages of play.
On the contrary, the purists counter it by saying that reducing it to four days will rob fans of great finishes, tactical shifts, and hard-fought draws.
The tempo of play in Test cricket has changed drastically due to the increased participation of players in ever-proliferating T20 leagues worldwide. The Ashes 2025-26 opener at the Optus Stadium finished in just two days as Cricket Australia incurred a loss of close to five million (AUD) after issuing a refund to thousands of spectators who had booked tickets for day 3.
Interestingly, England leg-spinner Adil Rashid shared his verdict on the debate, saying that though "it's tricky", the format should remain as it has been for decades.
"It's an interesting one, like you see that five days has that tradition there. It's been going on for years, so to change it now will be tricky one," Rashid said at the launch of Mr Cricket UAE. "I think sometimes with Test cricket, you've got to remain and have that as a tradition that's always there from day one and should go all the way through. I don't think there is a need to change it to four days, even though a lot of games are finishing in 3-4 days. But I feel that 5-day Test still holds that bit of history."
Another two-day finish on the cards in the ongoing Ashes?
The first day of the Boxing Day Test between England and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) unfolded at a breakneck speed as 20 wickets fell in little over 75 overs.
Josh Tongue operated in the right channels and became the first English bowler since Dean Headley in 1998 to clinch a five-wicket haul in a Boxing Day Test at the MCG. After folding for just 152, Australia came roaring back and bowled the Three Lions out for just 110 in 29.5 overs to gain a healthy 42-run lead.
