Test cricket is the premier form of the game and, as an ardent cricket fan, I would like to see it flourish the way it is for centuries to come.

But a few Test matches, some involving the weaker teams and others rendered inconsequential, have been poor for the health of the game. People the world over, and especially on the sub-continent, are being attracted more towards Twenty20 - the so-called 'bikini cricket'.The situation calls for some modifications to Test cricket so that it can survive the tide of Twenty20.

The first, being pondered over by the ICC, is the introduction of a World Test Championship which would see each team play two matches against each other on a home-and-away basis.

There are 10 Test-playing nations and if the cycle repeats after two years each team would need to play 18 Tests in those two years. The top two teams would then play in a one-off final at a neutral venue. The teams would start all over again after that, unlike the current rankings where the older performances keep counting.

Presently most teams play between 10 and 15 Test matches each year and some historic series like the Ashes, Border-Gavaskar trophy and Kapil-Imran trophy will still fit into the schedule. I personally believe that the introduction of this concept would actually lead to an increase in the number of Test matches, and Twenty20 would eat a little share of ODI cricket which most wouldn’t mind.

The awarding of bonus points for playing positive cricket would add spice to the otherwise dull, boring and one-sided matches. The Asian Test Championship which was held for the first time in 1998-99, saw bonus points being awarded to teams that scored more than 350 runs or took nine wickets inside 100 overs in the first innings.

Such a provision in the World Championship would be unfair on a team like New Zealand, who will play one match against each team on the bouncy pitches at home while India will get to play two Tests against a weak Bangladesh team on sub-continental pitches.

A better alternative would be to award a bonus point if a team’s run rate in the first innings is more than 125 per cent of the other team’s run rate, and similarly if a team gets the other out in 80 per cent or less overs than they played.

Another change that could be brought in is a mandatory follow-on should a team lead by more than 250 runs in the first innings. Also the teams would have an option of imposing the follow-on if they have a lead of 150 runs. There could be a provision for bonus points if teams chose to impose the optional follow-on.

Not many objections other than “Test cricket has never been played under lights” have come in way of the proposal to play day-night Test matches with coloured clothing, black sight screens and a pink or a white ball.

Another change that could liven up Test cricket would be to do away with the rule that prevents the batsmen from being out lbwif the ball pitches outside the off-stump. Irrespective of whether the batsman is offering a shot or not, if the umpire thinks that the ball is going to hit the timber, the batsman must be shown the door.

There must be fielding restrictions in the first innings with only two fielders outside the circle for 15 overs. The fielding team would get to decide when to impose them but they would need to do it within the first 75 overs of the innings. If they could get the other team out before the 60th over, fair enough.

Similarly, another thing that could be tried at domestic level is to let bowlers bowl from the end they prefer - but overs from each end would need to be equal after 60 overs and alternate thereafter. This could make things interesting as two pacers could both bowl with the wind and two spinners could both make use of the rough.

Bowlers need to have a little bit done in their favour and widening the crease on either side by six inches would help. It would help bowlers create an angle and make for some interesting viewing.

Criticism and suggestions are welcome but all with an objective of helping preserve the beautiful game of Test cricket.