Australian cricket and transition over the past four decades have usually made for interesting stories. What was the theme of moving away from toxic culture to something more humane and sensitive after the Sandpapergate scandal in 2018? season one criterionWhich released in 2020. Nearly three years later, the second season sees the men’s team undergo another change in leadership, though less dramatic than the first.
It would have been very compelling to have a fly-on-the-wall documentary on how the Australian dressing room was pulled from the bottom by the Indians in the prestigious 2020-21 home series. Unfortunately, the second season of criterion does not cover that period; The four-part series begins with the 2021-22 Ashes and ends with a tour of Sri Lanka in June, consisting of only Test matches.
It begins with the tearful resignation of another Australian captain, that of Tim Paine following a texting scandal involving a woman. This led to the promotion of Pat Cummins as the new Test captain weeks before the First Test against England. All along, there was also an undercurrent with head coach Justin Langer apparently starting to resent many of the players.
The fiery and enthusiastic Langer, the down-to-earth Paine and limited-overs skipper Aaron Finch combined to not only change the team’s culture, but also deliver better results. But Langer’s brand of tough love became too intense for his players, and even a 4–0 Ashes victory for Australia didn’t please his bosses enough to grant him a generous extension. Former players, mostly Langer’s teammates, criticized the team and Cummins for being disrespectful.
Players interviewed for this documentary express how secure they feel under their new leader. Cummins made a statement respecting the sentiments of the retired players and analysts towards Langer. He said that in the same way he will stand by his players as well. “Pat handled it like a genius,” says Ashton Agar.
Test (Season 2)
Director: Adrian Brown, Sheldon Vine
Cast: Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Peter Lalor
Number of Episodes: 4
Story: A few weeks away from the first Ashes Test match in 2021, Pat Cummins takes over the Australian captaincy; He and the team are responsible for writing their legacy and paving a new path for cricket in Australia
Season two is essentially about Cummins and the respect that gained traction with every series. The Cummins era shattered a long-held myth in Australian cricket that bowlers could not be considered for the Test captaincy. It is kind of a miracle that Cummins has gotten this far; For years, he was rarely fit enough to play two consecutive Test matches. Instead of giving up, he understood his body, persevered, and became an essential member of the fast-bowling attack.
His players credited him and his shrewd bowling changes for helping Australia defeat Pakistan after 15 days of Test cricket. His friendly, gregarious nature allowed his teammates to express themselves freely, such as Mitch Marsh declaring that “Patty Cummins s**t et Duty,
Australian cricketers at the world premiere of ‘The Test’ season two | photo credit: Scott Ehler
It is also to the show’s credit that generous airtime has been given to Usman Khawaja and Australia’s willingness to embrace diversity, although they still have a long way to go in this regard. When fast bowler Scott Boland made his debut against England in Melbourne, he was only the second indigenous male player after Jason Gillespie to play Test cricket for Australia. His debut, and the way he was greeted by the crowd, was as remarkable as that piece of trivia.
Khawaja, through his journey with the team for over a decade, has remained the poster-boy for diversity. With filmmakers free to go inside the players’ homes, Khawaja recalls a moment from his childhood over lunch at his Sydney home. Khawaja recalled how embarrassed his father was when he announced that his eight-year-old prodigy would play for Australia. Khawaja was in denial for a long time that a brown kid would get a chance at the senior level. His father, who had uprooted the family from Karachi, was more optimistic.
Khawaja recalled his struggles with racism during a conversation with children at the Islamic College in Brisbane. He talks candidly about conquering his demons as he scored back-to-back magnificent hundreds at a time when he thought his days as a Test player were numbered. Touchingly, he scored a century in his hometown Karachi. He also conducts a quiz on Pakistan to test his mates.
At the world premiere of season two of ‘The Test’ | photo credit: Scott Ehler
The season actually begins with episodes three and four, when the team goes on tour. With the dynamic and respected Cummins, Australia are seen as goodwill ambassadors by the local people in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. They were thankful that a full-strength team had committed to a full tour of Pakistan at a time when teams would be out at the drop of a hat; Sri Lankans needed cricket as a healthy distraction from their economic woes and the looming anti-government protests.
There is less drama than in season one, with significantly less brawling and loud swearing in the changing rooms after a dismissal, perhaps a sign that the players have learned to rein in their emotions with the cameras in front. And certainly not surprising words like “aristocratic honesty” and other ‘Langerisms’. Players open up about their worst moments, like Glenn Maxwell describing his depression and subsequent break from the game, his anxious wait for a Test recall, all hinged on Travis Head’s fitness test.
The players are generous with access to their homes and intimate settings, as we see David Warner tuck his kids to bed, Cameron Green spend time with his partner, and the friendship between Alex Carey and Head. There are also dressing room quirks. A toasted sandwich fresh off the coals goes into the fridge within seconds. Who does that anyway? Marnus Labuchagne.
The second season of The Test is streaming on Amazon Prime Video