Shourjyani Chatterjee
As Kolkata prepares for the first Test match between India and South Africa starting on November 14, Team RevSportz conducted interviews with young cricket fans to understand how Generation Z feels about the game’s longest format. The responses showed a clear split: some felt thatT20 cricket better matched the fast-paced modern lifestyle, while others saw Test cricket as the purest and most significant form of the game.
Test cricket was referred to as the “actual form of cricket” by many ardent supporters, who recalled how early games lasted five or six days and tested every skill of a player. Rajanya Ganguly, 20, from Bandel, said, “Every player is tested, as the name implies.” Fans like her mentioned stars such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah as shining examples of the Test spirit. For these supporters, quiet tension, strategy, and patience define the format. Citing Rahul Dravid’s well-known innings, in which he scored his first run after 40 balls [Sydney, 2008], they highlighted the mental toughness, discipline, and self-control that Test cricket demands.
Test cricket is regarded as “classic” and “pure”. Fans value the strategy and consistency involved – how a captain arranges the field during different sessions or how a bowler keeps hitting the same lines and lengths. Debapam Dhar, 21, from Kolkata, remarked, “Hope exists here, but powerplays don’t.” He believes that a player’s legacy is remembered more deeply through Test matches than T20s, adding, “Old is gold.”
However, many young voices prefer T20, describing it as exciting, modern, and evolving. “T20 cricket is growing and changing,” said Bhumit Kumar Sancheti, 20, from Baguihati, noting that it fits their fast, digital lifestyle. “Mere pass Test dekhne ke liye utna time nahi hai (I don’t have enough time to watch Test matches),” he added. For him and many others, T20 is short, entertaining, and easy to access. With lights, music, and dance performances, the IPL has made cricket an event that perfectly fits into their evenings. The frequent boundaries, quick finishes, and unexpected turns make T20 ideal for short attention spans and busy schedules.
Sayak Banerjee, who is a third-year student, said, “T20 fits into our lives because it is quick, full of energy, and doesn’t consume much time.” With the rise of social media, he felt T20 cricket had become even more relevant and appealing to the younger generation.
Test cricket fans make the game a part of their schedule, while those who follow the 20-over format take time out of their schedule to watch it. Whether slow and strategic or fast and flashy, both forms continue to keep cricket alive; one through its depth, the other through its energy.
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