Test cricket is played over as many as five days, with each team normally batting twice. That extra time changes the way a match unfolds: a team can recover from a difficult session, a pitch can become harder to bat on, and a lead can matter as much as the first-innings score.

Captains balance attack with patience. A declaration can give the opposition a target while leaving enough time to take ten wickets. Batters, meanwhile, must judge when to defend, when to rotate the strike and when the moment is right to score freely.

The format rewards adaptation. Conditions, light, weather and the state of the match all influence the next decision. That is why a Test can feel like several different contests before the final ball.