England stunned India in surreal day for Test cricket (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)Getty Images

A match lasting up to five days and the equivalent of a working week is naturally going to be a slog. Those not from cricket countries - even many who are - generally are baffled how anyone can sit through something so long especially as attention spans start to dwindle.

And even ardent cricket fans sometimes question their sanity during those excruciatingly dull stretches when nothing is happening or the contest is one-sided. The nature of Test cricket ensures that most matches aren't particularly close and upsets are infrequent.

But occasionally you get rewarded for sitting through such a grind. And on Sunday, amazingly, two astounding matches reminded why Test cricket has endured for almost 150 years and its slow burn has defied the rapidly changing pace of society.

In Brisbane, West Indies stunned Australia by eight runs in maybe the greatest upset in Test history. Several hours later in Hyderabad, England staged a remarkable comeback to defeat India and conquer - at least in the series opener - the toughest challenge in all of sports. India have only lost four of their last 48 Tests at home although two have been in their last three matches.

England stunned India in the first Test (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)Getty Images

There had been great expectations over how Bazball - England's proactive approach which is lauded by fans but mocked by cynics as something akin to a cult - would fare in such difficult terrain. After such a tough initiation with England trailing by 190 runs, it seemed like the same old story was playing out and India would grind a hapless touring team into the dustbowl.

But then Ollie Pope played the most extraordinary innings of 196, which was - you guessed it - full of intent and attack that he completely rattled India, who never recovered. Suddenly India had to chase down 231 on a deteriorating surface, but a target they still fancied against a seemingly weak England spin attack.

But up stepped debutant left-arm spinner Tom Hartley, who had been whacked for six by Ashasvi Jaiswal on his first ball in Test cricket and things didn't improve much after that as India's batters tried to turn him into a footnote.

But like what Shamar Joseph summoned many miles away, Hartley produced something so unbelievable that it made all that investment into watching Test cricket worth it.

He incredibly ripped into India's batting line-up to deliver England a remarkable 29-run victory that was another vindication of the bold and authoritative leadership of skipper Ben Stokes, whose faith in Hartley had been rewarded.

When Hartley had ­Mohammed Siraj, in an absolutely boneheaded stroke, stumped it triggered a wave of England celebration and capped the most extraordinary day of Test cricket seen in many years.

Tom Hartley starred for England (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)Getty Images

It was a reminder of why fans spend so many hours watching this format that can be painstaking and predictable a lot of the time. But when everything clicks, with the slowness of play only fuelling the tension, there is a payoff that far outdoes its knockoff shorter versions. You'll never forget these moments. It's nerve-jangling, edge of your seat stuff that frankly no other sport can rival.

The remarkable Test matches come at an uncertain time for the traditional format with nations other than powerhouses India, England and Australia struggling to play the expensive format. These financially-stricken countries often can't compete with lucrative private T20 leagues for the services of their top players.

The only possible solution would be for those powers - mainly cash-rich India who get the bulk of the pie in cricket's multi-billion dollar revenue sharing model - to agree for the sport's skewed financial model to be cut up and replaced by something more equitable.

The issue is set to be discussed at March's International Cricket Council board meeting, but it is unlikely anything will be resolved. The smaller countries have for some time taken the lead in discussions over finding more opportunities to play Test cricket, yet nothing has been done.

Test cricket probably can't be revived, which just makes it even more important for traditionalists to cherish days like Sunday.