Take a look at cricket, as everyone knows, is the oldest format of the sport, and it has been performed by as many as 12 nations since its inception within the yr 1877.

With a wealthy historical past of virtually 150 years, the Take a look at format stays the head of this gentleman’s sport of cricket so far because it embodies the last word “take a look at” of talent, temperament, technique, and grit. That is regardless of the arrival of shorter codecs (ODIs and T20Is) because the years progressed.

Historically, Take a look at cricket is performed beneath pure lights (i.e., through the day), however we have now seen day-night Assessments as properly, very similar to the shorter variations of the sport. As issues stand, greater than 2535+ assessments have been performed between these 12 nations.

Right here on this piece, allow us to have an outline of how these 12 groups gained Take a look at standing.

Australia (15 March 1877)

Australia and England had been the primary groups to get Take a look at standing, and so they have performed one another a number of instances till now, forming one of many most talked-about rivalries within the recreation of cricket.

Till 1877, there have been novice {and professional} Australian sides touring England and vice versa, however the first recreation that obtained worldwide Take a look at recognition was the one which occurred at the long-lasting Melbourne Cricket Floor (MCG) in 1877.

Hosts Australia received the sport by 45 runs, with their opener, Charles Bannerman, turning into the first-ever batter to slam a Take a look at century. Australia have since then been a dominant cricketing nation, having topped the rankings charts in Assessments a number of instances and being the reigning World Take a look at Champions.

England (15 March 1877)

England obtained their Take a look at standing in the identical recreation as Australia and received their first red-ball contest within the very second match of the inaugural Take a look at sequence performed on the identical venue (MCG).

Their rivalry is often dubbed “The Ashes,” with Australia having the higher hand over England. The primary 30 Assessments recorded in historical past had been performed amongst these 2 sides earlier than South Africa joined the fray in 1889.

Generally known as the founders of cricket, England have performed essentially the most variety of Assessments. They’ve performed towards each different nation in Assessments aside from Afghanistan.

Additionally Learn | The Historical past behind the Ashes Cricket Sequence

South Africa (12 March 1889)

The Proteas turned the third nation to be granted Take a look at standing by the ICC, and their first-ever recreation was towards England in March 1889 at St George’s Park, which they misplaced by 8 wickets. They performed solely 7 extra Assessments within the subsequent 10 years, all towards England, dropping every of them.

South Africa performed their maiden Take a look at towards Australia in 1902 and gained its first victory of their twelfth Take a look at on the Outdated Wanderers Stadium versus England. That was a 5-match sequence, and the hosts, South Africa, received by a margin of 4-1.

The African aspect featured in 172 Assessments until 1970, earlier than they had been suspended from cricket till the standing was given again in 1992.

West Indies (23 June 1928)

The fourth crew to achieve Take a look at standing was the boys from the Caribbean, and so they performed as English colonies generally known as the West Indies within the early years (Thirties). Their first sequence was the tour of England in 1928, which was received by the hosts 3-0 and was led by Karl Nunes of their first 4 Take a look at matches.

The West Indies’ first Take a look at match triumph got here within the 1930 dwelling sequence towards the identical opponents in a recreation held at Bourda, and their abroad win was towards Australia on the SCG a yr later.

The West Indies had been a power to be reckoned with from 1970 to 1990, once they had been virtually invincible in all of the codecs of the sport.

New Zealand (10 January 1930)

Cricket in New Zealand started within the late Nineties with the formation of the nation’s first nationwide crew, and so they toured Australia and England within the subsequent 3 many years with seldom success. Nevertheless, their good performances on their tour of England (1926/27), the place they defeated a number of English county sides, noticed them acquire Take a look at standing.

Their first worldwide Take a look at tourney was the 4-match dwelling sequence towards England, which they misplaced 0-1. New Zealand had a poor starting to their Take a look at journey, as for the following 26 years and 44 Assessments, they couldn’t safe a win within the red-ball format.

The black caps obtained their first style of success in Assessments towards the West Indies at Eden Park in 1956, which was their forty fifth Take a look at.

India (25 June 1932)

India turned a Take a look at-playing nation in 1932 with years of expertise enjoying towards English sides, and so they confronted England of their first Take a look at at Lord’s, ending up on a dropping aspect. Whereas India confronted England in its subsequent 9 Assessments over 14 years, their second-ever Take a look at opponent was Australia once they launched into a tour down beneath in 1947/48.

India’s first-ever Take a look at win got here in Chennai towards England, virtually 20 years after making their debut, and it was their twenty fifth recreation. Since then, India have received a whole bunch of memorable matches. This features a uncommon tied Take a look at towards Australia, and they’re certainly one of 3 sides to have featured in a tied Take a look at recreation on the highest degree.

Additionally Learn | Elite Record: Groups That Have Performed 100 or Extra Assessments Between Them

Pakistan (16 October 1952)

Pakistan, India’s close to neighbour, made their Take a look at debut in 1952, 5 years after each nations obtained independence. Coincidentally, Pakistan’s first recreation was towards India in Delhi, which they finally misplaced however received the second recreation of the 5-match sequence at Lucknow.

Their first abroad win got here in England on the Kennington Oval, in solely Pakistan’s second Take a look at sequence. They’ve an honest observe report within the longer format.

Sri Lanka (17 February 1982)

Sri Lanka made its Take a look at debut in 1982 and was the eighth crew to achieve this standing. However the island nation had the expertise of enjoying top-level cricket, having participated in ODI World Cups.

Sri Lanka’s first task was towards England in what was a one-off Take a look at at Colombo, and so they misplaced that recreation by 7 wickets. Their first win got here on the identical venue of their 14th Take a look at recreation towards India in 1985, and their first sequence win was in 1992 versus New Zealand at dwelling.

Zimbabwe (18 October 1992)

Zimbabwe made their Take a look at debut in 1992, and their first Take a look at was towards India at Harare, which was finally a drawn affair. Their maiden Take a look at win got here towards Pakistan in a 3-match sequence at dwelling in 1995, whereas their first sequence win was towards India (a one-off Take a look at) in 1998 on the identical venue.

Zimbabwe discovered it robust to resist the rigours of Take a look at cricket, as they misplaced greater than they received towards the highest groups.

Bangladesh (10 November 2000)

The subsequent aspect to make their foray into Take a look at cricket was Bangladesh, and like Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, they too had expertise enjoying on the worldwide degree.

Taking part in their first Take a look at towards India at Dhaka, their journey has been just like that of Zimbabwe on the subject of Assessments, as they misplaced 31 of their first 34 video games (drawing the opposite 3) earlier than opening the account of their thirty fifth recreation towards Zimbabwe in 2005.

Although Bangladesh’s progress has not been clean, the Asian nation has managed to play vital Take a look at matches, with the latter half of their journey being significantly better than the primary half.

Eire (11 Could 2018) & Afghanistan (14 June 2018)

Each Eire and Afghanistan obtained their Take a look at standing in 2018 after an extended toil and progress made within the ICC Intercontinental Cup over time. Afghanistan featured of their first recreation towards India at Bangalore, whereas the European nation performed their inaugural Take a look at towards Pakistan at Dublin.

Afghanistan obtained off the mark with their first Take a look at victory coming towards Eire in 2019. Coincidentally, Eire’s first Take a look at win additionally got here towards Afghanistan in 2024.