Should free-hits be introduced in Tests?

The recently concluded series between England and New Zealand has kicked off another debate in the world of cricket, should a free hit be awarded after a no-ball in Tests as well? It’s not something people are asking for the benefit of the batters, but rather to discipline bowlers, who have been conceding no-balls a little too frequently these days.

Several matches have seen multiple no-balls in an over in red-ball cricket, especially in the last couple of years, so the idea of extending the free hit law to Tests isn’t far-fetched as it will allow the batters some respite in tough batting conditions. There have been murmurs among ex-players and experts who want Test cricket to adopt the free-hit rule to keep the bowlers disciplined.

The ICC introduced a new law that would penalize the bowlers whenever they bowled a no-ball. The new law allowed the batters a free-hit, the very next ball following the no-ball. The batters had the liberty to free their hands on this delivery, as they can only be dismissed either by a run-out, hitting the ball twice, or by obstructing the field.

The free hit was introduced in international cricket in 2007 and was punishable only for no-balls called for overstepping by the bowlers. In 2015, the rule was modified to award a free hit to the batter irrespective of the cause of the no-ball, and the change was welcomed by the batting community as it handed them a bit of leverage in white-ball cricket.

Test cricket has been untouched by this rule as people have felt that it might hamper the traditional values of five-day cricket, which offers a more balanced contest between bat and ball. But if done to discipline bowlers rather than to add entertainment value to the game, the law could be beneficial for Test cricket.