Yesterday we saw another example of a team coming into a Test series with inadequate preparation (just 1 warmup game), and paying the price. Pakistan did the same against South Africa and there was of course a huge outcry about how we needed to get to South Africa earlier and play more practice games.

Realistically though, with the international calendar as it is, it's difficult to schedule in more first-class games, & we have to accept that it simply won't happen for most series.

A possible solution to this would be to ensure we ALWAYS play the ODIs/T20Is before the Tests. This will give the players an additional couple of weeks in the country before the Test series starts. The players in the ODI squad will be getting match practice anyway, and the Test players that don't play ODIs can be practicing, perhaps with local club sides and getting used to the conditions.

Seems a sensible approach to me, but will Tests be given the importance they deserve?

Discuss!