| The Test | |
|---|---|
 A visual from the2019 Ashes series, as shown in the docu-series | |
| Also known as | The Test: A New Era for Australia's Team |
| Genre | Docu-series |
| Directed by | Adrian Brown |
| Starring | Australian national cricket team |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 15 |
| Production | |
| Producers | Mish Armstrong Adrian Brown Richard Ostroff |
| Production location | Australia |
| Running time | 43–61 minutes |
| Production companies | Amazon Studios Whooshka Media Cricket Australia |
| Original release | |
| Network | Amazon Prime Video |
| Release | 12 March 2020 (2020-03-12) – present |
The Test, known asThe Test: A New Era for Australia's Team in its first season, is an Australiandocu-series, produced byAmazon Studios forAmazon Prime Video,[1] and co-produced byCricket Australia.[2] The first season was released on Prime Video on 12 March 2020 and consists of 8 episodes.[3] A second season, consisting of 4 episodes, was released on 13 January 2023.[4] A 3-episode third season was released on 24 May 2024.[5]
The docu-series follows theAustralian men's cricket team. The first season follows the team's path to redemption under the leadership of captainTim Paine and head coachJustin Langer in the 18 months after the2018 Australian ball-tampering scandal.[6][7] The second season follows the team after the exit of Paine as captain and the subsequent departure of Langer at the end of 2021 and beginning of 2022.[4] The third season follows the team in England during the2023 Ashes series.[8]
An edited, feature-length version of the first season aired on theSeven Network on 4 October 2020.[9]
The first season is a behind-the-scenes look at the Australian men's team's fall from grace and its path to regain its integrity in the 18 months after the2018 ball-tampering scandal.[2]
The series begins with the 2018 Australian ball-tampering scandal which rocks Australian cricket, the subsequent press conferences, and the bans from play for those found involved: captainSteve Smith, deputyDavid Warner, and Australian openerCameron Bancroft.Darren Lehmann resigns as head coach, whileTim Paine replaces Smith as the new captain of the national team.[10][2]
A few weeks later, former cricketerJustin Langer is announced by Cricket Australia as the new head coach. The episode ends with the promise of a better future under the leadership of Paine and Langer, who introduce an ethical code of conduct within the Australian setup as well as the gesture of shaking hands with the opposing team before the commencement of a match as a mark of respect and good sportsmanship.
The series then shifts to an account of the next 18 months of the Australian men's team from their sole perspective. It includes their first draws againstPakistan in the United Arab Emirates,India's first Test series win during the Australian summer as well asAustralia's first win against Sri Lanka, their time inIndia for ODI's and Twenty20 games, and the return of Smith and Warner to the team just before the2019 Cricket World Cup in England.[11]
The last two episodes spotlights Australia's contributions during the2019 Ashes series, and documentsSteve Smith's hit on the neck with a bouncer during the Second Test and Australia's near win in the Third Test without Smith. The season ends with Australia's retention of the Ashes urn by winning the Fourth Test.
The second season has four episodes and follows the team during the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022, which sees the resignation of captain Tim Paine for improper conduct off the field as well as the departure of head coach Justin Langer amongst rumours of player dissatisfaction with his leadership style. During this period the team takes on England in the2021–22 Ashes series andtravels to Pakistan for the first time in over two decades, as well asdrawing a test series against Sri Lanka.[4]
The third season has three episodes and follows the team in England during June and July 2023 as they take on India in the2023 ICC World Test Championship final before competing in the2023 Ashes series where they face a resurgent England and their new and aggressive "Bazball" playing style.[8]
Tim PaineJustin Langer(Head Coach)Steve SmithDavid WarnerMarcus HarrisPat CumminsNathan LyonAaron FinchMarnus LabuschagneJhye RichardsonUsman KhawajaGlenn MaxwellBrad Haddin(Fielding Coach)Peter SiddleTravis HeadMitchell MarshShaun MarshSteve Waugh(Mentor)Marcus StoinisRicky Ponting(Mentor)Mitchell StarcJosh HazlewoodJason BehrendorffPeter HandscombAshton TurnerAdam ZampaAdam Gilchrist(Mentor)Allan Border(Mentor)Cameron GreenMichael NeserScott BolandMitchell SwepsonJosh InglisAshton AgarMatthew WadeTodd MurphyAndrew McDonald(Assistant Coach, Later Head Coach)
Graeme Hick(Batting Coach)
Virat KohliCheteshwar PujaraBhuvneshwar KumarMS DhoniKedar JadhavBen StokesMark WoodStuart BroadJofra ArcherJonny BairstowEoin MorganJoe Root
Babar AzamSarfaraz Ahmed
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