Leading article: More, please

Three days into the second Test match between England and India and already it is shaping up to be a terrific series. The stands are packed. England has its best team for many years. India – the World Cup holders – ooze charisma, and yesterday's "run-out" incident has added a dash of controversy.

Why then is the series confined to a mere four Tests? We know there are obligations to other Test-playing nations (England played three Tests against Sri Lanka earlier in the summer) and that one-day matches rule. But Ashes series always comprise five Tests, and the case for according India equivalent status is a powerful one. No form of the game fires the imagination quite like Test cricket.