Intelligence Squared: What Does Test Cricket Reveal About the Legacy of Empire?

Guest: Tim Wigmore (Deputy Cricket Correspondent, Daily Telegraph; Author of Crickonomics and Test Cricket: A History)
Host: Joey D'Urso
Date: November 26, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Joey D’Urso speaks with acclaimed sports journalist and author Tim Wigmore about his new book, Test Cricket: A History. Together, they explore how the 150-year evolution of Test cricket weaves together questions of empire, class, race, national identity, opportunity, and inequality. Their discussion connects the game’s history to the broader political and social currents it both shaped and was shaped by—revealing cricket’s unique status as a lens through which to view the legacy of British imperialism and globalization.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Makes Test Cricket Different?

Begins at 02:34

• Origins and Structure:
  • First Test match: March 1877, Melbourne, Australia vs England.
  • Distinctive for its multi-day format (up to 5 days), two innings per side, and high variance in conditions (e.g., Chennai vs Leeds).
  • Uniquely, fans have always worried about its survival, highlighting a culture of "fatalism and romance."
  • "The first reference I could find to basically the game's gone, the players all play for money, not the badge on the shirt anymore, was 1884." — Tim Wigmore (03:10)
• The Allure:
  • Test series are likened to binge-watchable dramas, characterized by deep narrative, reversals of fortune, and a sense of timelessness.

2. Cricket’s Global Appeal and Financial Imbalances

Competitive balance and money: 05:20

• The sport thrives in England, Australia, India—but other nations struggle due to uneven revenue and fixture lists.
• Smaller nations often lose top talent to lucrative T20 leagues, further undermining their Test teams.
• "Exciting Test cricket needs two good teams... competitive balance is so important." — Tim Wigmore (06:08)
• Historical inequities: touring teams like the West Indies received only a fraction of England’s earnings from broadcast deals, perpetuating disparities.

3. Cricket and Empire: The Spread to India

Cricket's colonial roots: 07:30

• Early Days:

  • Cricket introduced in Gujarat by British sailors in 1721; Kolkata Cricket Club formed 1792.
  • First widely followed by European and then Parsi communities; eventually, became multi-religious through the Bombay Pentangular, with teams divided along community lines (Hindu, Muslim, Sikh-Christian, European).
  • The tournament became a symbol and battleground for different visions of India’s future:
    • "Jinnah... talks about how it shows how good relations can be between Hindus and Muslims. Whereas with Gandhi, he resents the way cricket is organized because he says it encourages people to think in terms of their own religion." — Tim Wigmore (09:00)

• Modern Emergence:

  • Until 2001, India had a poor away record in Test cricket—mainly drawing talent from a narrow, urban base.
  • Growth in infrastructure, economy, and talent scouting has "opened up" cricket across India, turning it into a true superpower.
  • "Sachin Tendulkar... only wins one of his first 44 Test matches away from home." — Tim Wigmore (10:21)
  • Indian Premier League’s founding in 2008 revolutionized earning opportunities and talent development.

4. Test Cricket vs T20: Coexistence and Scheduling Chaos

IPL, T20, and scheduling: 13:13

• IPL is now a financial giant but only occupies 2.5 months a year; a better global calendar could protect Test cricket.
• Current "Wild West" scheduling leaves many national teams depleted as stars opt for league money.
• "The schedule of cricket has been a complete mess because it’s not really run by anybody." — Tim Wigmore (14:11)

5. South Africa and Apartheid

The "D’oliveria affair" and exclusion: 14:40

• From inception, South African Test cricket excluded non-white players; foreign teams acquiesced to this apartheid.
• The 1968 Basil D’Oliveira incident was pivotal: a non-white England player, originally from South Africa, was selected, causing SA to cancel the tour.
• "You have the incredible hypocrisy of... John Vorster, Prime Minister of South Africa, who attacks England for bringing politics into sport by selecting D’Oliveira." (18:49)
• South Africa was boycotted and excluded from Test cricket until 1992.
• Anecdote: Nelson Mandela’s admiration for Don Bradman, who as cricket administrator supported the SA boycott:
  "When Nelson Mandela meets the Australian Premieres... the first thing he asks is, is Don Bradman still alive?" — Tim Wigmore (19:48)

6. The Politics of Captaincy

Race, class, and the role of the captain: 20:27

• Test cricket captaincy is unusually important and deeply political.
• England’s tradition (until 1952) of amateur (often upper class) captains—even if less skilled than professionals—contrasted with Australia’s meritocracy.
• West Indies only appointed their first black captain, Frank Worrell, in 1960, despite overwhelming talent among non-white players.
• "They hate the idea of basically a team with a black captain going on to beat England..." — Tim Wigmore (23:18)
• Symbolic significance: Worrell’s captaincy preceded Caribbean independence movements.
• Batting (less physically arduous) often privileged over bowling, mirroring social hierarchies.

7. Interviewing the Greats: Michael Holding

Memorable interviews: 26:04

• Michael Holding, legendary West Indian fast bowler, spoke about the team's role in Black empowerment, especially when beating England.
• "The deeds of this cricket team were helping people to walk a bit taller and just help people in their lives... a real source of joy." — Tim Wigmore (26:38)
• On the fear and glory of fast bowling:
  • The gladiatorial aspect of Test cricket, its element of danger, distinguishes it from stereotypes of genteel play.

8. Test Cricket’s Uneven Global Expansion

Global structure and inequities: 28:39

• New nations (Pakistan, New Zealand, Ireland, Afghanistan) have joined, but the "Big Three" (Australia, India, England) dominate revenues, schedules, and attention.
• Most Test matches, excluding these giants, lose money, limiting opportunities for others and threatening Test cricket's future.
• "Test cricket should learn from American sports... [where] competitive balance is kind of wired into that competition." — Tim Wigmore (32:12)

9. The Unique Culture of Test Cricket Fandom

Fragility, communal bonds, and in-jokes: 33:20; 35:25

• Test cricket fans often root for a contest more than tribal victory—applauding opposition brilliance and underdog wins.
• It’s "a fraternity almost," held together by shared anxiety for the game’s survival and appreciation of its subtleties.
• The slow pace encourages an "odd and idiosyncratic culture": in-jokes, eccentric commentators, and background enjoyment, even as people work.

10. Adaptation and Resilience: Myths of Conservatism

Test cricket’s supposed resistance to change: 38:16

• Despite its stuffy reputation, Test cricket has evolved enormously in structure, rules, technology, and inclusivity.
• "Test cricket has evolved more than people realize… [it's] maybe part of the secret to why it survived for 148 years so far." — Tim Wigmore (38:33)
• The ever-present doom-saying ("the Golden Age is past!") is a tradition in itself; the game endures and adapts.

11. The Future and the Ashes

Predictions & closing thoughts: 40:04

• England have struggled in Australia for decades, and while they are stronger now (and Australia slightly weaker), Tim predicts Australia to win 3–1 in the upcoming Ashes series.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On romance and anxiety in Test cricket:
  "Fans kind of love nothing more than worrying that the thing they love is about to die. And actually look at the history. It's always been this way." — Tim Wigmore (02:44)

• On cricket as a tool of nation-building and resistance:
  "Cricket has this huge, huge power… You can tell so many wider stories, wider political stories through the prism of Test cricket." — Tim Wigmore (19:51)

• On the role of money and inequality:
  "If a game doesn't involve Australia, England or India, most Test matches lose half a million US dollars, if not more." — Tim Wigmore (29:18)

• On cultural uniqueness:
  "There's also something unique in terms of the fandom of Test cricket, where more people... quite like the opposition to win or at least do very well than in other sports." — Tim Wigmore (33:06)

Major Timestamps

• 02:34 — Introduction to the origins and essence of Test cricket
• 05:20 — Test cricket’s global health and the issue of financial inequality
• 07:30 — The game’s introduction to India and the politics of colonial sport
• 14:40 — The story of cricket and apartheid in South Africa
• 20:27 — The political significance of captaincy and selection
• 26:04 — Notable interviews: Michael Holding and the meaning of West Indies cricket
• 28:39 — The challenges of global Test cricket expansion and scheduling
• 33:20 / 35:25 — Test cricket’s culture, idiosyncrasies, and fan relationships
• 38:16 — Thoughts on change, resilience, and Test cricket’s adaptability
• 40:04 — Ashes preview and closing discussion

Tone & Style

The conversation is thoughtful, nuanced, and littered with charming anecdotes and wry observations about cricket and its place in society. Both speakers balance seriousness about issues of race, class, and empire with humor and warmth about the oddities and joys of cricket fandom.

For anyone interested in how a seemingly narrow sporting tradition can illuminate global themes of power, identity, and cultural change—as well as how old institutions adapt to survive—this episode is essential listening.