Scrap coin toss to save Test cricket: Darren Lehmann

Mumbai: Australian coach Darren Lehmann has suggested scrapping the pre-match toss of the coin to revive Test cricket.

Australia have objected to pitches used during 2015 Ashes series in England and recently in Sri Lanka. They complained that some of the pitches heavily favoured the home side.

In his autobiography, Coach, Lehmann writes, the biggest threat to Test cricket is the state of pitches.

"I accept Twenty20 represents a significant challenge to that – and to the health of one-day international cricket, too – but the biggest challenge to the longest format, for me at least, comes not from Twenty20 but from the surfaces on which matches are being played," wrote Lehmann.

"Put simply, those surfaces are either far too bland or, conversely, are far too heavily weighted in favour of the home side. In both instances, that does Test cricket no good at all.

"On the other hand, no one wants to see 600 plays 500 on pitches that offer the bowlers nothing. Producing tracks like that is the surest way to kill off the format.

Lehmann writes scrapping toss could help tackle the issue.

"My solution to ensure the best possible pitches are produced is, at international level, to do away with the toss, with the visiting side given the option of whether they want to bat or bowl.

"That way the result is not decided by the toss of the coin, host boards have a greater incentive to produce decent pitches that are fair to both sides and the chances are that after five days the better side – rather than the one that has called correctly and thus been able to take advantage of favourable conditions – is the one what will come out on top."