Lots of Tests in little time

If Pakistan were a better batting side, they would probably be an exhausted team, but perhaps a happier one, at the moment. Had each of their four Tests so far during the ongoing tour of England lasted five days, they would have had 20 days of cricket out of 28. Pakistan began the two-Test "home" series against Australia on July 13 and their second Test against England at Edgbaston was scheduled to end on August 10. However, their batsmen's fragility, and their bowlers' consistency in bowling out their opponents for cheap, ensured that all four Tests ended in less than four days. So Pakistan had 16 days of Test cricket out of 28, which isn't too bad, but their schedule could have been potentially gruelling.

India and New Zealand once played four Tests in 23 days, but those matches, in February-March 1965, were scheduled over four days each and not five. India won that home series 1-0. That tour of India was in the middle of a hectic period for New Zealand. They went from India to Pakistan for three five-day Tests, which spanned 19 days, and lost that series 0-2. So New Zealand played seven Tests in the subcontinent in 46 days - no team had played seven Tests in a shorter time span before or have since.

Before New Zealand visited the subcontinent, they had hosted Pakistan for three Tests as well, all of which were drawn, between January 22 and February 16. To sum up, New Zealand played 10 Tests - at home, in India and in Pakistan - in 82 days between January 22 and April 14, 1965, losing three and winning none. It's the shortest time span in which a team has played 10 Tests, by 28 days. New Zealand hold the record for having played four to 10 Tests in the least time.

They weren't done. New Zealand continued their world tour by leaving Pakistan for three Tests in England. The weather during the English summer was ghastly, the New Zealand players were weary and they lost all three games. By the end of the series, they had played 13 Tests - lost six, won none - in 172 days on the road.

Playing 10 Tests in the fewest days

Team	Days		Opposition	Start	Scorecard		Opposition	End	Scorecard
New Zealand	82		v Pakistan	Jan 22, 1965	Test 574		v Pakistan	Apr 14, 1965	Test 587
India	110		v Australia	Sep 11, 1979	Test 855		v Pakistan	Dec 30, 1979	Test 866
India	112		v England	Aug 30, 1979	Test 854		v Pakistan	Dec 20, 1979	Test 865
India	115		v England	Aug 16, 1979	Test 853		v Pakistan	Dec 9, 1979	Test 863
India	116		v England	Aug 2, 1979	Test 852		v Pakistan	Nov 26, 1979	Test 861
Australia	117		v Sri Lanka	Sep 9, 1999	Test 1459		v India	Jan 4, 2000	Test 1481
India	118		v England	Jul 12, 1979	Test 851		v Australia	Nov 7, 1979	Test 860
Australia	119		v India	Sep 11, 1979	Test 855		v England	Jan 8, 1980	Test 868
New Zealand	123		v Pakistan	Jan 29, 1965	Test 576		v England	Jun 1, 1965	Test 591
India	123		v Australia	Sep 19, 1979	Test 856		v Pakistan	Jan 20, 1980	Test 869

In 1979, India travelled to England for a four-Test series, which began on July 12 and ended on August 30 at The Oval. They then returned home after the 0-1 defeat and plunged into a six-Test series against Australia beginning on September 11. India won that series 2-0 by completing an innings-and-100-run win on November 7. Less than three weeks later they were hosting Pakistan in another six-Test rubber, which culminated in another 2-0 win for India on February 3. A tired Indian squad then hosted a tired England squad, weary after a tour of Australia, in a one-off Test beginning on February 15, to commemorate the golden jubilee of the BCCI. That Test ended in a ten-wicket thrashing for the hosts in four days. India had played 17 Tests in 222 days between July 12, 1979 and February 19, 1980.

Playing 17 Tests in the fewest days

Team	Days		Opposition	Start	Scorecard		Opposition	End	Scorecard
India	222		v England	Jul 12, 1979	Test 851		v England	Feb 19, 1980	Test 874
Australia	273		v England	Jul 21, 2005	Test 1756		v Bangladesh	Apr 20, 2006	Test 1799
Australia	318		v India	Oct 9, 2008	Test 1887		v England	Aug 23, 2009	Test 1931
England	325		v South Africa	Jul 24, 2003	Test 1651		v New Zealand	Jun 13, 2004	Test 1704
India	335		v England	Dec 3, 2001	Test 1574		v West Indies	Nov 3, 2002	Test 1622
India	338		v South Africa	Nov 16, 2001	Test 1569		v West Indies	Oct 20, 2002	Test 1618
West Indies	340		v Pakistan	May 5, 2000	Test 1494		v South Africa	Apr 10, 2001	Test 1542
West Indies	340		v Pakistan	May 18, 2000	Test 1496		v South Africa	Apr 23, 2001	Test 1544
India	341		v Pakistan	Dec 10, 1982	Test 941		v West Indies	Nov 16, 1983	Test 967
India	341		v Pakistan	Dec 23, 1982	Test 942		v West Indies	Nov 29, 1983	Test 968

India have also played the most Tests in a one-year period - 19 between November 3, 2001 and November 3, 2002. During this time they toured South Africa, hosted England and Zimbabwe, visited West Indies and England and then played a home series against West Indies as well. So that's a little fewer than 85 days of Test cricket. Throw in the 26 ODIs India played during that period and that is one hectic year.

India have also played 20 Tests in the least time - 384 days between December 10, 1982 and December 29, 1983. They played 11 Tests in Pakistan and West Indies, then travelled to England where they won the World Cup, after which they hosted Pakistan and West Indies for nine more Tests. The period ended on a low note, with West Indies beating India 3-0 in the six-Test series.

Playing 20 Tests in the fewest days

Team	Days		Opposition	Start	Scorecard		Opposition	End	Scorecard
India	365		v South Africa	Nov 3, 2001	Test 1564		v West Indies	Nov 3, 2002	Test 1622
India	369		v Pakistan	Dec 10, 1982	Test 941		v West Indies	Dec 14, 1983	Test 971
India	371		v Pakistan	Dec 23, 1982	Test 942		v West Indies	Dec 29, 1983	Test 972
England	373		v South Africa	Aug 14, 2003	Test 1654		v West Indies	Aug 21, 2004	Test 1712
England	374		v South Africa	Jul 24, 2003	Test 1651		v West Indies	Aug 1, 2004	Test 1708
India	380		v West Indies	Dec 15, 1978	Test 837		v Pakistan	Dec 30, 1979	Test 866
England	382		v South Africa	Jul 31, 2003	Test 1653		v West Indies	Aug 16, 2004	Test 1711
India	384		v West Indies	Dec 1, 1978	Test 835		v Pakistan	Dec 20, 1979	Test 865
India	384		v England	Dec 3, 2001	Test 1574		v New Zealand	Dec 22, 2002	Test 1633
India	387		v Pakistan	Oct 16, 1978	Test 831		v Australia	Nov 7, 1979	Test 860

We've not considered England's 1929-30 season, when they sent one team to West Indies and another to New Zealand at the same time, in our calculations. England technically played four Tests in 25 days, five in 33, six in 45 and seven in 47. They began two Tests on February 21, 1930, one in Auckland and another in Georgetown.