In a recent article in the Economist magazine titled Can Test Cricket Survive a Sticky Wicket?, the future of the five-day format was placed under the microscope. Surrounded by the explosive glamour of T20 and a data-driven sporting world that prizes instant gratification, Test cricket appears, to some, as a slow-moving dinosaur that is past it’s sell-by date. I know the feeling.
But in Australia, where the Boxing Day Test still pulls six-figure crowds and kids still mimic Marnus Labuschagne’s leaves in their backyard, the long game isn’t dead. It’s just misunderstood.
This is a love letter and a staunch defence worthy of Rahul Dravid. A reminder of why Test cricket still speaks to something deeply human, especially for men in midlife looking for connection, character, and a little quiet glory.
What Test Cricket Teaches Us (That T20 Never Will)
Test cricket is a masterclass in delayed gratification. It rewards patience and persistence. It reveals character. It teaches you to stick at things when nothing goes your way for hours, or even days. As former UK Prime Minister John Major (quoting Robert Mugabe, of all people) once noted: “Cricket civilises people and creates good gentlemen.”
True … unless you’ve spent any time near Bay 13 at the MCG on Boxing Day.
The Long Game Still Has a Crowd
Despite the rise of the Big Bash League (BBL) and its DJ-led fireworks and beach-ball crowd gimmicks, Test cricket is quietly thriving in Australia. The 2023–24 Boxing Day Test drew 87,242 to the MCG on Day 1, while broadcast ratings for Test matches on Foxtel and Seven soared during the Ashes and India series, often outperforming BBL matches in average viewership.
According to Cricket Australia, Test match viewing accounted for 48% of total summer TV cricket consumption, up from 41% the year prior. While BBL draws kids and families for a night out, Test cricket sustains both generational loyalty and national passion. The BBL has its place. But Test cricket has soul.
Why It Still Matters (Especially for Midlife Men)
Test cricket reminds us of things many of us have forgotten, or are trying to remember again:
- Focus over frenzy
: In a world that doesn’t stop pinging, Test cricket asks us to slow down and stay with it.
- Grit over glamour
: You don’t fluke a Test century. You earn it.
- Resilience over reward
: Every ball isn’t a boundary (unless you’re Harry Brookes). It’s often a grind.
It mirrors life after 40. The career isn’t new. The kids are older. You’re not the quickest on the field anymore, but you’ve got game sense. Experience. Judgement. And you value mates who stick around when the sun’s beating down and the wickets aren’t coming.
There’s something deeply resonant about Test cricket for men in their 40s, 50s and 60s. It mirrors your life more than any other sport. You’re no longer sprinting, but you know when to charge. You’ve been hit, but you’ve stayed at the crease. You don’t need applause. You’re playing for meaning now. If T20 is about youth and adrenaline, Test cricket is about maturity, experience, and dignity in the long haul. These are vital lessons to hold on to, and for us to pass on to the next generation.
Because In Test cricket, the real test is of your character, not just your talent. (OK, Steve Waugh said that. But he is 100% right.)
How to Bring the Kids In
Here’s how we can each help keep the long game alive for the next generation:
- Slow it down: Watch one session of a Test with your kid. Pick a favourite batter. Narrate the game. Talk field placements.
- Create a ritual: Pack sandwiches. Sit outside with a transistor radio. Invite a mate. Let them associate cricket with connection.
- Tell stories: Not just about sixes, but about McGrath bowling with a busted ankle. About Belinda Clark’s double century. About Cummins refusing to sledge. About Langer facing Ambrose and Walsh in ’99 and not backing down.
- Play the game: get a few mates to the local park for a knockabout with their kids. Sign them up to https://play.cricket.com.au/play/for-kids
If T20 is fireworks, Test cricket is a campfire. Slow, steady, a place to tell stories and pass something down.
Final Over
So no, Test cricket isn’t dying. It’s just been a bit overshadowed by its flashier cousin. But beneath the surface, the old game is still beating strongly. It teaches us patience in a noisy world. It gives our kids heroes who endure. It gives us (especially midlife men) a game that doesn’t end in 20 overs, but unfolds over time, like a well-lived life.
So let the fireworks fly. Let the big hits roar. But also give us the slow burn of Day Three. Give us the last hour before stumps. Give us a battered warrior taking her mark on 90* in fading light. Because some stories deserve time to be told.
Wisdom from the Crease
“You don’t play Test cricket to be average. You play to be great.” Justin Langer
“Without a doubt, my favourite thing? It’s sitting in a change room after a match. There’s no time frame. There’s no formality. You’re just enjoying each other’s company, thinking about cricket.” Ellyse Perry
“There’s nothing like walking out on Day Five, knowing you’ve been through the grind, and your mates are right there with you.” Pat Cummins
There’s a reason the podcast Don’t Let the Old Man In resonates with thousands of men in their 50s. It speaks to the quiet war many fight against obsolescence, irrelevance, and a determination to navigate life’s crossroads with clarity and confidence. And likewise, if you’re reading this, you haven’t given up. You’re still curious. Maya Angelou once said, “If you’re always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.” Midlife career change isn’t about being extraordinary. It’s about being aligned—with yourself.
Stephen Keys is the Producer of the Don’t Let the Old Man In podcast. Listen on YouTube, Apple, Spotify or wherever you tune in. Find more thoughts on living gracefully (and disgracefully) in the second half of life at The Wisdom Vault, on LinkedIn, Substack and even (!) Instagram.
