NEW DELHI: Former Australia captain Steve Waugh has voiced concerns over the future of Test cricket, expressing dismay at Cricket South Africa's (CSA) decision to send a shadow side to New Zealand for a Test tour while their top players participate in a domestic T20 tournament.
CSA has named seven uncapped players, including skipper Neil Brand, for the two-Test tour of New Zealand, which coincides with the second edition of the SA20 T20 tournament starting on January 10.
Waugh, speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) and other administrators to intervene and safeguard the longest format of the game.
"Obviously they don't care. If the ICC or someone doesn't step in shortly, then Test cricket doesn't become Test cricket because you’re not testing yourself against the best players," Waugh remarked.
The proliferation of franchise cricket and domestic T20 leagues has posed challenges to bilateral tours and weakened the availability of top players for Test matches.
The ICC, with limited authority over bilateral scheduling, faces difficulties in addressing these issues.
Australia captain Pat Cummins expressed hope that South Africa's decision was just a phase and not indicative of a broader trend away from Test cricket.
"I know the South African team aren't sending their strongest side; I'm hoping it's just a phase," Cummins commented. "I don't think it's as dramatic a decline as it sometimes gets spoken about, but I think there is an issue just with the amount of other cricket out there."
Pakistan captain Shan Masood suggested that better scheduling could have avoided the situation, emphasizing the importance of having the strongest eleven participating in Test cricket.
"All the best sides have to play for the World Test Championship, so it's a pity that South Africa aren't able to send their full-strength squad," Masood said. "Hopefully, somewhere down the line, schedules can be made in a certain way where we see the strongest elevens playing Test cricket."
The ongoing situation raises broader questions about the balance between lucrative T20 leagues and the traditional format of Test cricket, prompting calls for strategic interventions to preserve the integrity and competitiveness of the longest format.
(With inputs from Reuters)
