Test cricket is hailed as the pinnacle of the game, where a player’s prowess in the longest format depends on their temperament and ability to execute their strategies throughout the course of five days.
The main reason why fewer players thrive in shorter formats and move up the ranks in longer formats is because of this.
Test cricket is losing fans since T20 cricket is now more popular than the longest format among viewers.
Test cricket is still played in a dated fashion in nations like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies.
India, Australia, New Zealand, and England are solely responsible for the success of Test Cricket, which will be a difficult challenge.
Former England batter Kevin Pietersen made the prediction that only a small number of nations would continue to play test cricket beyond 2025, and this prediction is coming true.
According to Graeme Smith, the competitive teams on a larger scale are dwindling. If we don’t try to create more powerful Test Cricket teams, four to five nations will be vying with one another to play the longest format.
His argument was further supported by the fact that no three-match Test series schedule was maintained for the Proteas, as Cricket South Africa’s new Future Tour Programme was announced for the upcoming cycle between 2023 and 2027.
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This is a strong argument because fans don’t care about the game and are turning their attention to other forms of cricket. Different cricket boards are also investing heavily in their local T20 Leagues, and the CSA is about to announce a new league with six teams that will be mostly made up of Indian franchises.
The World Test Championship Cycle would not be successful if Test cricket were not properly structured and laid out in the years to come. Additionally, the ICC and various stakeholders would need to implement an effective marketing strategy to revitalise the game. Another element that might be relevant to keeping this longest format alive is the regulations’ flexibility.
If nothing is done to fix the damage, it would be a sad but realistic truth if only 4-5 Teams continued to play Test cricket in the future due to the demands of the modern game.
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