SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 14 September 2025, Shift 2 · English Comprehension · Question 19 of 100

We transcribed this text from the pictures on a candidate's response sheet for this shift; the answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. Solution last reviewed 11 September 2026.

Read the following passage and answer the questions based on the passage:
Cricket, as a sport, has continually evolved in response to changing audience preferences and technological advancements. Among its many formats, Test cricket and One Day Internationals (ODIs) represent two contrasting philosophies—one rooted in endurance and strategy, the other in dynamism and entertainment. Test cricket, often regarded as the pinnacle of the sport, is a format that unfolds over five days, demanding exceptional levels of patience, technique, and mental resilience. It offers players the opportunity to exhibit classical skills and tactical acumen, where the fluctuating tempo mirrors the rhythm of real life—unpredictable, slow-burning, and layered. For purists, Test cricket is an art form, rewarding not merely flamboyance but consistency and grit. In contrast, ODIs compress the drama into a single day. With limited overs, this format prioritizes aggressive batting, innovative bowling variations, and strategic field placements. The adrenaline-infused pace of ODIs appeals to a broader demographic, especially in an era of dwindling attention spans and time constraints. For broadcasters and advertisers, the shorter format offers commercial viability, making it a lucrative spectacle. However, critics argue that the commercialization of ODIs has come at the expense of depth and nuance. In pursuit of viewership, substance often gives way to spectacle. Conversely, defenders of Test cricket lament its declining audience, attributing it to an increasingly entertainment-driven sports culture. Yet, occasional high-stakes encounters—like the Ashes or India-Australia series—still manage to ignite global interest. The ongoing debate between formats is not merely about preference, but about the identity of the sport itself. While both formats have their merits, the challenge lies in preserving the sanctity of Test cricket without undermining the accessibility of ODIs—a delicate balance that cricketing authorities must negotiate in the years ahead.

What is the central concern raised in the passage?

(a)Lack of good players for both formats
(b)Scheduling difficulties between formats
(c)Balancing tradition with commercial interests
(d)Reducing cricket formats to two only

Answer

Why

Correct — C. The last sentence states the concern: the challenge lies in 'preserving the sanctity of Test cricket without undermining the accessibility of ODIs—a delicate balance that cricketing authorities must negotiate'.

Test cricket is the tradition: 'classical skills', an 'art form' for purists.
ODIs are the commercial side: for broadcasters and advertisers they offer 'commercial viability, making it a lucrative spectacle'.

Keeping the two in balance is tradition against commercial interests → option (c).

Why the others are wrong

(a)
Lack of good players for both formats — The passage never mentions a shortage of players. It says what Test cricket demands of them — 'patience, technique, and mental resilience' — not that either format lacks them.
(b)
Scheduling difficulties between formats — Scheduling never comes up. Five days and a single day are mentioned only to contrast the two formats' pace, not as a clash in the calendar.
(d)
Reducing cricket formats to two only — No one proposes cutting cricket to two formats. The passage opens 'Among its many formats', compares two of them, and wants both kept — the accessibility of ODIs is to be protected too.

Concept

A central concern question asks for the problem the whole passage builds towards, not a detail from one part of it.

Look first where the author sums up. Here the last sentence turns on the challenge lies in, which names the problem directly.

Then test the option against the whole passage: the purists' Test cricket, the commercially viable ODIs and the call for balance all fit it.

The word tradition is not in the passage. Option (c) paraphrases 'classical skills', 'purists' and 'sanctity', so match the idea rather than hunting for the exact word.

Key facts

The passage's last sentence names the challenge: preserving the sanctity of Test cricket without undermining the accessibility of ODIs.
The passage links ODIs to broadcasters and advertisers through 'commercial viability'.
The passage begins its comparison with 'Among its many formats', treating Test cricket and ODIs as two of several formats.

Study next

Main-idea questions: finding the sentence where an argumentative passage sums upParaphrase matching: tradition for 'classical skills' and 'sanctity'Rejecting options built on ideas the passage never raises

Common traps

Choosing scheduling because the passage contrasts five days with one — that contrast is about pace, not the calendar.
Choosing option (d) because the passage compares two formats — comparing two is not proposing to drop the rest.

The same passage also sets English Q.15, Q.16, Q.17 and Q.18 of this shift. Q.18 reads the same closing sentence for the author's tone toward preserving Test cricket.

Central-idea questions also appear at 12 Sep 2025, 16:00, English Q.15 (groupthink) and 19 Sep 2025, 09:00, English Q.16 (legality).

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Read the following passage and answer the questions based on the passage:
Cricket, as a sport, has continually evolved in response to changing audience preferences and technological advancements. Among its many formats, Test cricket and One Day Internationals (ODIs) represent two contrasting philosophies—one rooted in endurance and strategy, the other in dynamism and entertainment. Test cricket, often regarded as the pinnacle of the sport, is a format that unfolds over five days, demanding exceptional levels of patience, technique, and mental resilience. It offers players the opportunity to exhibit classical skills and tactical acumen, where the fluctuating tempo mirrors the rhythm of real life—unpredictable, slow-burning, and layered. For purists, Test cricket is an art form, rewarding not merely flamboyance but consistency and grit. In contrast, ODIs compress the drama into a single day. With limited overs, this format prioritizes aggressive batting, innovative bowling variations, and strategic field placements. The adrenaline-infused pace of ODIs appeals to a broader demographic, especially in an era of dwindling attention spans and time constraints. For broadcasters and advertisers, the shorter format offers commercial viability, making it a lucrative spectacle. However, critics argue that the commercialization of ODIs has come at the expense of depth and nuance. In pursuit of viewership, substance often gives way to spectacle. Conversely, defenders of Test cricket lament its declining audience, attributing it to an increasingly entertainment-driven sports culture. Yet, occasional high-stakes encounters—like the Ashes or India-Australia series—still manage to ignite global interest. The ongoing debate between formats is not merely about preference, but about the identity of the sport itself. While both formats have their merits, the challenge lies in preserving the sanctity of Test cricket without undermining the accessibility of ODIs—a delicate balance that cricketing authorities must negotiate in the years ahead.