Teams with Test status
01. Australia (15 March 1877)
02. England (15 March 1877)
03. South Africa (12 March 1889)
04. West Indies (23 June 1928)
05. New Zealand (10 January 1930)
06. India (25 June 1932)
07. Pakistan (16 October 1952)
08. Sri Lanka (17 February 1982)
09. Zimbabwe (18 October 1992)
10. Bangladesh (10 November 2000)
11. Ireland (11 May 2018)
12. Afghanistan (14 June 2018)
Test cricket is the form of the sport of cricket with the longest match duration and is considered the game’s highest standard. Test matches are played between national representative teams that have been granted ‘Test status’, as determined and conferred by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The term Test stems from the fact that the long, grueling matches are mentally and physically testing. Two teams of 11 players each play a four-innings match, which may last up to five days (or longer in some historical cases). It is generally considered the most complete examination of a team’s endurance and ability.