How often have Tests been called off without a ball being bowled?

A Test to be called off without a ball being bowled is pretty uncommon. In the 147-year history of the format, this has only happened seven times before, apart from games postponed due to war or pandemics. The Afghanistan vs New Zealand one-off Test in Greater Noida is the eighth such instance.

Let’s delve into the circumstances under which the previous seven games were abandoned completely.

1. England vs Australia, Old Trafford, 1890

Back then Test matches lasted three days, and when Australia arrived in Manchester for the third and final Test of the tour against WG Grace's England, they were hoping for a consolation win. However, it rained all three days, so the organizers were forced to cancel the Test without even having a toss. A thrilling tour that featured 34 first-class matches and the three Test series, which England won 2-0, came to a somber end.

2. England vs Australia, Old Trafford, 1938

Manchester was the scene once again, nearly half a century later. The teams remained the same, although by now the Test matches were four days long with a day off in between. The Old Trafford Test was scheduled to be the third Test in the five-match Ashes series, with Wally Hammond and Don Bradman serving as the captains. The weather, though, did not allow the toss again, and the teams moved to Leeds next for the fourth game of the series.

3. Australia vs England, Melbourne Cricket Ground, 1970

This time, the rain caused havoc in Australia. Now, Tests had become five-day long, and the first two Tests of what was originally a six-match series had been drawn. England chose to bowl first after winning the toss but right when the teams were heading out, it started to rain and it continued to do so for three straight days in Melbourne. After it became evident that a proper Test would not be possible, the administrators got together and devised a remarkable plan to prevent a third consecutive draw and recover money that had been lost.

On the planned fifth day, they arranged a 60-over one-innings-a-side match, which was witnessed by about 46,000 spectators, making it officially the first-ever ODI. To make up for the missed match, the organizers also hurriedly planned a seventh Test for later in January 1971.

4. New Zealand vs Pakistan, Dunedin, 1989

The three-day series got off to an unlucky start when the Dunedin Test was called off on day three due to heavy, sweeping rain that left nearly no chance of a result, and the game was canceled by day three. However, with conditions improving on the scheduled fourth day of the Test, the two captains John Wright and Imran Khan agreed to play an ODI instead, in which Richard Hadlee picked five wickets for 38. The next two Tests of the tour continued on without a hitch, even though those too were draws and the series honors were shared.

5. West Indies vs England, Bourda, 1990

England led the four-game series 1-0 when they arrived in Guyana, but the Bourda outfield was under water due to a week of intense rain before the second Test. Having already lost three days, a contentious early decision was taken on the scheduled rest day to call off the game altogether and play an ODI on the scheduled fourth day. Because of the rainy weather, that ODI was also canceled, and it was rescheduled for the fifth day. At last, a 49-overs-a-side match could be played, and the hosts won handily thanks to Gordon Greenidge's innings of 77.

6. Pakistan vs Zimbabwe, Faisalabad, 1998

For the third Test of the series, both sides arrived in Faisalabad in thick December fog. Visibility was so poor that after the second day, most players did not even come to the venue in the morning. On day four, the umpires called off the game. However, some commentators believed that the decision was made in a hurry because by the afternoon, the situation had improved. The PCB also came under fire for holding the test in Faisalabad, where December fog was a common occurrence. Though for Zimbabwe, there was a bright spot as the abandoned Test made sure they won their first Test series after 15 previous attempts.

7. New Zealand vs India, Dunedin, 1998

It was a remarkable coincidence that the sixth and seventh canceled Tests were called off on the same day - December 20, 1998. While fog played spoilsport in Faisalabad, it was the rain in Dunedin that had the last say. The umpires called off the first Test between India and New Zealand as the rain persisted into the third day, forcing a second abandoned Test to be held in Dunedin. For Umpire Steven Dunne, it was the second time in his career - after Dunedin 1989 - had to call-off a game, and an unofficial one-dayer was held on the planned fourth day.

Cover Credits - The Hindu