Channel 4 return would be a significant, poignant development for Test cricket

The India v England series could be free-to-air and help make up for the failure to capitalise on the gospel of 2005

Fifteen seconds to live. Paging Richie Benaud and Tony Greig. Paging Michael Atherton and Ian Smith and Dermot Reeve. Ten seconds. Dusting off the Analyst’s truck and firing up the Snickometer. Applying a final coat of varnish to Mark Nicholas. Five seconds. Everyone to positions. Queuing up the Lou Bega in three … two … one.

Alas, tantalising as the idea is of getting the old gang back together for one more job, it is at this point that you run into a few logistical issues. For one thing, Atherton is contracted to Sky Sports. Nicholas is signed up with TalkSport, while Benaud and Greig have sadly been spirited off to the great rain delay in the sky. Probably best just to take the Indian TV feed for now.

Related: England set to play in front of 25,000 in second Test against India

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