The date 15 March 1877 marks a turning point in the history of cricket when the long rivalry between Australia and England led to the first-ever Test match being played. As time went by, a total of 12 nations joined the club for the longest format of cricket.
The Test format is indeed cricket’s lifeblood, the game that has its own unique glamour. The very best teams are the only ones allowed the privilege to wear whites and play in the supreme format.
Playing Test Nations Cricket Over The Years
Australia and England – 15 March 1877
As already pointed out, Australia and England fought each other in the first Test match ever. The event was hosted at the Australia’s prized Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The hosts won the match by 45 runs thus they moved on to the longest format.
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South Africa – 12 March 1889
After a period of 12 years, a new country was authorized for Test matches. South Africa played their first-ever Test match against England on March 12, 1889, in Gqeberha. This match was supposed to go for 3 days, but however, the end of the second day saw the wicket of the hosts being taken by England, who won by 8 wickets.
West Indies – 23 June 1928
The West Indies arrived in June 1928, to play their first Test match against England. On June 23rd, the West Indies met the English team at the well-known Lord’s Cricket Ground. The Caribbean squad had a rough start as the English overpower their opponents by an innings and 58 runs.
New Zealand – 10 January 1930
In 1930, England had yet another Test match against the new Test-acquiring country. This time it was New Zealand, which was playing its first Test match. The Kiwis tested the seasoned English team, but in the end, the English had a good reason to smile as New Zealand was defeated by 8 wickets.
India – 25 June 1932
In India, cricket is analogous to a religion; the sport has a massive following in the nation. The country’s wish to play the oldest format of cricket was fulfilled in 1932 when they faced England in a one-off Test match. Lord’s was the venue for India’s inaugural Test, which became a landmark event in the country’s cricket history.
Pakistan – 16 October 1952
After two decades of no Tests, Pakistan was awarded Test status and so became Test cricket’s seventh nation. Pakistan’s first-Test was at India in 1952 on the 16th.
Sri Lanka – 17 February 1982
The exploits of India and Pakistan in international cricket contributed significantly to the growth of cricket in Asia. Sri Lanka was then the third Asian country to be allowed to play Test matches. The tradition of England playing against debutants was maintained, as they went on a tour of Sri Lanka in 1982 for a one-off Test match.
Zimbabwe – 18 October 1992
Zimbabwe was the second team after Australia to have a draw in their opening Test match. The African country made its Test debut with the match against India in 1992 when they managed a draw with the Indians by outscoring them in the first innings.
Bangladesh – 10 November 2000
The last decade of the 20th century saw an unbelievable rise in Bangladesh’s international cricket. The team won the 1997 ICC Trophy and did well in the 1999 World Cup, which together, paved the way for Test status. The Bangla Tigers had the toughest test against India in their first-ever Test match in 2000, where the Indian batting was really challenged by the Bengal bowlers.
Ireland – 11 May 2018
After practicing cricket regularly for more than a decade starting from 2006, Ireland was finally granted their long-awaiting Test status in the year 2017, together with Afghanistan. Being close to England, Ireland became the second European country that was allowed to play Test cricket. Their first Test match was played against Pakistan in May 2018 in Dublin.
Afghanistan – 14 June 2018
Although experiencing a nightmare-like situation at home, the rise of the Afghanistan cricket team is like a fairy tale. Afghanistan began its journey as an affiliate member in 2001 and in 2017 became the 12th full member of the ICC. With that, they obtained Test status and played their first Test against India in June 2018.
