Before every match, the two captains toss a coin to decide which team bats or bowls first. There have been proposals to eliminate the toss in Tests.
Details
The toss is conducted 30 minutes before the scheduled start of play. The visiting captain calls the coin toss, and the winning captain chooses whether to bat or bowl first.
The toss can be a significant tactical decision: - In Tests, conditions can change dramatically over 5 days — batting first on a fresh pitch vs bowling on a deteriorating pitch - In LOIs, dew can be a factor — batting second with dew makes the ball slippery and harder to grip for bowlers - In day-night Tests, the pink ball under lights and in the twilight period can be challenging
There have been proposals to eliminate the toss in Test cricket, particularly for the WTC, to remove the 'luck' element. Some domestic competitions (like England's County Championship) have experimented with giving the away team the choice instead of using a coin toss.
Historical Evolution
The coin toss has been part of cricket since the earliest days of the sport. Various proposals to modify or eliminate it have been discussed, particularly after matches where toss appeared to be decisive on certain pitches.
The ICC considered allowing the away team to choose in WTC matches but has not implemented this change.
Current Rule
Coin toss 30 minutes before play. Visiting captain calls. Winner chooses to bat or bowl.