<p>Test cricket. If you've ever wondered why some cricket matches go for five days while others wrap up in three hours, this is the page where you will (finally) find all the answers you need.</p> <p>Test cricket is the original, the longest, and for many purists, the truest form of the game. It's where legends are made, where careers are defined, and where a single session can shift the momentum of an entire series.</p> <p>Look, if <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/cricket/news/t20-world-cup-2026-guide">T20 cricket is a sprint</a> and ODIs are a middle-distance run, Test cricket is an ultra-marathon.&nbsp;</p> <h2>What is Test Cricket?</h2> <p>Test cricket is the longest format of international cricket, played over a maximum of five days between two national teams.</p> <p>Each team gets two innings to bat, and there's no limit on how many overs can be bowled. The goal is simple: score more runs than your opponent and bowl them out twice.</p> <p>The term "Test" comes from the fact that this format truly tests every aspect of a cricketer's ability. Your technical skill, mental strength, physical endurance, ability to adapt to changing conditions over five days…all of it gets examined and, well, tested.</p> <p>It's been around since 1877 when England and Australia played the first recognised Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.</p> <p>Only 12 nations hold full Test status from the<strong> International Cricket Council</strong> (ICC): Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, and Ireland.</p> <p>These are the only countries that can play official Test matches.</p> <h2>How Test Cricket Works</h2> <p>A Test match is scheduled for five days, with play typically running from around 10:30am to 6pm each day (times vary by location). Each day is divided into three sessions of approximately two hours each, separated by 40-minute lunch and 20-minute tea breaks.</p> <p>Teams must bowl a minimum of 90 overs per day. That's 30 overs per session, though if a team falls behind, play can be extended slightly to make up the deficit.</p> <p>Each team gets two innings. The team that wins the toss decides whether to bat or bowl first. Once the first team completes their first innings (either by losing all ten wickets or declaring), the second team bats. Then both teams bat again in the same order.</p> <p>The key difference from limited-overs cricket? There's no over restriction.</p> <p>An innings continues until either all ten wickets fall or the batting captain declares the innings closed. This creates entirely different strategies compared to ODIs or T20s.</p> <h2>The Basic Rules of Test Cricket</h2> <p><strong>Winning</strong>: A team wins by either outscoring their opponent after all four innings are complete, or by bowling the opposition out twice while staying ahead on runs. For example, if Team A scores 400 and 250 (declared), and Team B scores 300 and 200, Team A wins by 150 runs. If Team A bowls Team B out for less than their total in the fourth innings, they win by however many runs they lead by.</p> <p><strong>Draw</strong>: If five days elapse and all four innings aren't completed, the match is declared a draw. This is unique to Test cricket, since you can't have a draw in T20 or ODI cricket (except in extraordinarily rare circumstances). A team with wickets in hand when time expires will see the match drawn.</p> <p><strong>Tie</strong>: If both teams finish with identical scores after all four innings are complete, it's a tie. This is incredibly rare and it happened only twice in Test cricket history.</p> <p><strong>Declaration</strong>: The batting captain can declare the innings closed at any time, even with wickets in hand. This is tactical: if you've scored 500 runs and have a big lead, you might declare to give your bowlers maximum time to bowl out the opposition.</p> <p><strong>Follow-on</strong>: If the team batting second trails by 200 or more runs after their first innings, the team batting first can enforce the follow-on. This forces the trailing team to bat again immediately, rather than allowing the leading team to bat again. It's a way to push for a win by applying sustained pressure, though it can backfire if the bowlers are exhausted.</p> <h2>How Test Cricket Differs from ODI and T20</h2> <p>The differences are substantial, and they fundamentally change how the game is played and how you should approach <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/cricket/all-cricket">all cricket betting</a>.</p> <p><strong>Duration</strong>: Test cricket can last five days. ODIs are 100 overs total (50 per side), usually finishing in one day. T20s are 40 overs total (20 per side) and last around three hours.</p> <p><strong>Innings</strong>: Each team gets two innings in Tests, one in ODIs and T20s.</p> <p><strong>Overs</strong>: No limit in Tests. In ODIs, each team faces exactly 50 overs. In T20s, it's 20 overs per side.</p> <p><strong>Ball</strong>: Tests use a red ball (or pink for day-night matches). ODIs and T20s use a white ball.</p> <p><strong>Clothing</strong>: Players wear traditional white (or cream) in Tests. Coloured kits are used in limited-overs formats.</p> <p><strong>Strategy</strong>: Test cricket rewards patience and attrition. You can build an innings over two days. In ODIs and T20s, scoring rates matter constantly, and powerplays restrict fielding positions. Test cricket has no such restrictions, and captains can set whatever fields they want.</p> <p><strong>Pitch Conditions</strong>: This is crucial. Over five days, the pitch deteriorates. What starts as a batting paradise on day one can become a minefield for batters by day five as cracks appear and the ball spins sharply. This changing environment is central to Test cricket's appeal.</p> <h2>Test Match Format and Structure</h2> <p>Each day of Test cricket follows a set rhythm that you may want to understand - especially if you are looking at <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/cricket/test-matches">Test matches betting odds</a> here at Sportsbet.</p> <p>Play starts with the first session (typically 10:30am-12:30pm), breaks for a 40-minute lunch, resumes for the second session (roughly 1:10pm-3:10pm), breaks for a 20-minute tea, then continues for the final session until stumps (around 3:30pm-6pm, though extended if overs need to be caught up).</p> <p>The fielding team starts with a new ball. After 80 overs with that ball, they can take a new one. A new ball swings more and is harder, making it tougher for batters, and this is why new-ball spells are critical periods.</p> <p><strong>Day-Night Tests</strong>: Since 2015, some Tests are played under lights using a pink ball, which is more visible under lights than a red ball. These matches typically start in the afternoon and run into the evening.</p> <p><strong>DRS (Decision Review System)</strong>: Each team gets three reviews per innings to challenge umpire decisions. If a review is successful and the on-field decision is overturned, the team keeps their review. If the review is unsuccessful or results in "Umpire's Call" (where the technology is inconclusive), the team loses one of their reviews.</p> <h2>Key Test Cricket Terminology</h2> <p><strong>Follow-on</strong>: When the team batting first leads by 200+ runs, they can ask the team that batted second to bat again immediately. It's about applying pressure and hunting for a win.</p> <p><strong>Declaration</strong>: The batting captain voluntarily ends the innings to give bowlers time to force a result. It's a bold tactical move.</p> <p><strong>Draw</strong>: Match time expires before a result is reached. Both teams share honours, though it can feel like a loss for the team that was ahead.</p> <p><strong>Tie</strong>: Both teams score identically across all innings. Phenomenally rare.</p> <p><strong>Innings</strong>: A team's turn to bat. Each team gets two in Test cricket.</p> <p><strong>Session</strong>: One of three periods of play each day (morning, afternoon, evening).</p> <p><strong>Stumps</strong>: The end of a day's play.</p> <h2>The History of Test Cricket</h2> <p>The first Test match was played at the MCG on 15-17 March 1877 between Australia and England. Australia won by 45 runs, and a rivalry was born that would become <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/cricket/the-ashes">The Ashes</a>, which is arguably the most famous contest in cricket.</p> <p>For decades, only England, Australia, and South Africa played Test cricket. India, West Indies, and New Zealand joined in the 1930s and '40s. Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Ireland gradually earned Test status over the following decades.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/cricket/predictions/south-africa-vs-australia-wtc-final-preview">ICC World Test Championship</a> began in 2019, giving Test cricket a structured competition where the top nine teams compete over two-year cycles, with the top two playing in a final. It's an attempt to give every Test match context and meaning beyond bilateral series.</p> <p>Test cricket has evolved, but the core remains: two teams, white clothing, a red ball, five days to prove who's better.</p> <h2>Frequently Asked Questions</h2> <p><strong>How long is a Test match?</strong></p> <p>A Test match is scheduled for five days, with approximately six hours of play per day. However, matches can finish early if one team wins before the five days are up.</p> <p><strong>Can Test matches end in a draw?</strong></p> <p>Yes. If five days pass and the match isn't completed (all four innings finished), it's declared a draw. This is common in Test cricket and unique to the format.</p> <p><strong>What is the follow-on rule in Test cricket?</strong></p> <p>If the team batting second trails by 200 or more runs after both teams have batted once, the team batting first can enforce the follow-on, making the trailing team bat again immediately.</p> <p><strong>How many overs are bowled in a Test match?</strong></p> <p>There's no fixed limit. A minimum of 90 overs must be bowled per day, but innings continue until ten wickets fall or the batting team declares. A full five-day Test typically sees 400-450 overs bowled.</p> <p><strong>What's the difference between Test and ODI cricket?</strong></p> <p>Test cricket lasts up to five days with two innings per team and no over limit. ODIs are one day, one innings per team, with each team facing exactly 50 overs. Tests use a red ball and white clothing; ODIs use a white ball and coloured kits.</p> <p><strong>Why do they wear white in Test cricket?</strong></p> <p>White clothing is traditional in Test cricket, dating back to the sport's origins. It's also practical with the red ball. Limited-overs formats introduced coloured kits to distinguish teams when using a white ball.</p> <p><strong>How many Test cricket teams are there?</strong></p> <p>Twelve nations hold full Test status: Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, and Ireland.</p> <p><strong>What happens if it rains during a Test match?</strong></p> <p>Play is suspended, and overs are lost. Unlike limited-overs cricket, there's no DLS method to adjust targets. Lost time simply reduces the chance of a result, often leading to draws.</p>