SO FINALLY, THE ELEPHANT in the room is being addressed. Which is that of the 12 full members of the International Cricket Council eligible to play Test cricket, the number of countries where the “traditional format” has some meaning, both financially and for the fans, is reducing, and fast.
Seen from this perch, those four countries are world cricket’s Big 3 – India, England and Australia – plus South Africa (to a far lesser extent).
As for the remaining eight – New Zealand, West Indies, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Ireland – it really makes no financial sense for them to continue investing in Test cricket.
Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg has now said it out loud — without naming names. The traditional Test calendar could lead to bankruptcy for certain nations, Greenberg has warned as he called for a “slimmed-down” Test schedule.
Greenberg, a former Australian Cricketers’ Association chief, believes “scarcity in Test cricket is our friend, not our foe”.
“I don’t think everyone in world cricket needs to aspire to play test cricket, and that might be OK,” Greenberg told domestic media at an event marking 100 days to go before the Ashes series Down Under between England and Australia.
“We’re literally trying to send countries bankrupt if we force them to try to play Test cricket.”
Greenberg wants to see marquee series such as the Ashes between England and Australia – the 2025-26 series gets under way in Australia in 100 days’ time – receive greater investment.
“We need to make sure we invest in the right spaces to play Test cricket where it means something and has jeopardy,” Greenberg added.
“That’s why the Ashes will be as enormous and profitable as it is – because it means something.”
The pulsating five-match series between England and India this summer was Test cricket at its finest.
It is worth noting the catalyst that has triggered such plainspeak. It has come after a West Indies team – the erstwhile gold standard of Test cricket acumen – scored just 27 runs in its second innings – one run short of the all-time test record for low totals — while losing the third of three Tests to Australia.
Cricket West Indies this week held a two-day emergency summit for Caribbean cricket which included greats Brian Lara and Clive Lloyd. Said summit was called to “find a fix”. That this is already a lost cause seems to be lost on Cricket West Indies though.
And players are already voting with their feet on the issue. Mushrooming short format franchise leagues (T20, The 100, T10) offering lucrative player contracts are crowding out the global calendar and have prompted a slew of top players to give up Tests and One-Day Internationals.
To quote Greenberg: “A lot of traditionalists might not like that. I’m not suggesting I know the number that will play (he does, but just doesn’t want to say it quite so bluntly), but literally we’re trying to send countries bankrupt if we force them to try to play Test cricket.”
