Is South Africa's approach to 'de-prioritizing' Test Cricket in 2024 an insult to the World Test Championship, or should other nations follow suit?

[MenInG]

So we will have a deliberately undercooked/rookie Test side taking on NZ on an away tour. Almost a given that they will lose unless NZ decides to do the same!

What's the point of WTC when boards will take such decisions along the way? Is it not an insult to the whole WTC concept? Or should other nations follow suit given that this is the T20 World Cup year?

==

South Africa have named their 14-player Test squad for the tour of New Zealand in January with a new captain to lead a rookie squad.

Uncapped Neil Brand will lead South Africa in New Zealand in the two-match ICC World Test Championship series with only three players from the squad currently playing India travelling with the team.

The 27-year-old Brand has played 51 first-class matches, scoring 2906 runs at an average of 39.27 and has 72 wickets with his slow left-arm orthodox spin.

The changes come owing to a clash with the SA20, the T20 franchise tournament conducted by South Africa in January, where most of the contracted Test players will play.

"Firstly I would like to congratulate the players that will be going on a Proteas tour for the first time," Test head coach Shukri Conrad said.

"It is a real honour to represent your country, so they should savour the moment.

"The players picked for this tour have every chance of challenging New Zealand and we have full confidence they will do exactly that when we arrive for the first Test match at Mount Maunganui.

"Most of these guys participated in the recent 'A' series against West Indies where they showed that they have what it takes against players of international calibre. That experience will no doubt leave them in a better position for what we expect to be a testing series in New Zealand."

Keegan Petersen and Zubayr Hamza aside, David Bedingham, who made his Test debut last week, are the only players in the touring party who are in the Test squad for the Cape Town Test against India.

There are six uncapped players in the squad with Duanne Olivier, capped 15 times in Tests, the most experienced.

Brand will become the first player since Lee Germon in 1995 to lead an international men's team on Test debut (if it's not also the team's first-ever Test).

The tour will be a huge challenge for the newbies with WTC points at stake and a history to defend. New Zealand have never beaten South Africa in a men's Test series till date.

South Africa Test squad: Neil Brand (captain), David Bedingham, Ruan de Swardt, Clyde Fortuin, Zubayr Hamza, Tshepo Moreki, Mihlali Mpongwana, Duanne Olivier, Dane Paterson, Keegan Petersen, Dane Piedt, Raynard van Tonder, Shaun von Berg, and Khaya Zondo.

ICC

 

[sweep_shot]

This is definitely disgraceful. This is not some bilateral series. This is a part of WTC (Test World Cup).

This may come back to bite South Africa as they were looking good for WTC final.

 

[MenInG]

This is definitely disgraceful. This is not some bilateral series. This is a part of WTC (Test World Cup).

This may come back to bite South Africa as they were looking good for WTC final.

From the team selection it seems that they don't care.

 

[BouncerGuy]

South Africa's selection committee is not serious about this tour I guess. It was a WTC series, not some random domestic league. That team is a joke and should be thrashed by the Black Caps.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Other nations should follow suit. Nobody cares about that Test series just like many others.

SA are rightly prioritising their highly successful T20 league .

 

[BouncerGuy]

Other nations should follow suit. Nobody cares about that Test series just like many others.

SA are rightly prioritising their highly successful T20 league .

IMO. Test cricket is the real cricket. T20 cricket is fascinating but it will not help the players in improving their skills.

 

[chinaman00]

ICC has done a terrible job promoting Test Cricket as the pinnacle of cricket. For starters, it should limit the World Test Championship to a select few teams including Australia, England, India, New Zealand & South Africa and the champion team should get a huge purse.

Saturation of test cricket with weak and irrelevant teams undermines the prestige of Test Cricket and it’s about time the ICC steps in to institute bold reforms.

 

[Suleiman]

Test cricket is the pinnacle of cricket, but WTC is a joke. Zero pedigree. A one off test match no one cares about as a final, not even a full series lol.

The “trophy” of test cricket has always been who can dominate most often abroad and at home over a period of 5-10+ years. A proper reign. True measure of consistency.

Not just based off one “cycle” of two years.

 

[greatest]

Test championship results should be based on every nation playing against each other home and away. The away series win should carry more points. Plus addition points if you beat a nation which is ahead of you in the ratings. Example, if Sri Lanka beats Australia it would get 2 additional points but if Australia trounce Sri Lanka it would just get the points for a series win but an additional points if it wins away from home. Points should be shared if the series is drawn. It's as simple as that. India and Pakistan should not gain any points if they don't play against each other.

There should not be any final, just ratings based on the last home and away series in a 5 year cycle. But to make this a reality ICC should abolish international T20 cricket, limit it to just leagues or get rid of bilateral ODI cricket.

And most importantly ICC and all the boards should promote it like they do for T20 cricket. No lip service.

 

[Devadwal]

This is lowest point of any cricketing team .test cricket is above all the league around the world .
BCCI is biggest culprits so i don't blame South Africa here

 

[ElRaja]

should just postpone the series, whats the point? I doubt NZ make a lot of money from hosting SA reseres. Its about time the ICC start scheduling some test windows.

 

[Shaka81]

We'll done South Africa. Hopefully another nail in the coffin of Test cricket. Fewer people are interested in Test cricket every year yet it puts a huge drag on cricket finances needing to be funded by other cricket formats. Yet the handful of fans who mostly would never pay to watch it in a stadium, demand it's preserved with ever greater riches because it's "superior". Let it go it's a dying format!

 

[Wristy_Shuffler]

The cricketing calendar is just so packed with various forms of LO cricket, it's harder and harder to squeeze Test cricket in as a priority. SA have just formalised what most other nations have already been doing. Times are changing and outside of hardcore cricketing circles, people are not bothering with Tests. I think it will die a slow death, although hope I'm wrong.

 

[greatest]

ICC has done a terrible job promoting Test Cricket as the pinnacle of cricket. For starters, it should limit the World Test Championship to a select few teams including Australia, England, India, New Zealand & South Africa and the champion team should get a huge purse.

Saturation of test cricket with weak and irrelevant teams undermines the prestige of Test Cricket and it’s about time the ICC steps in to institute bold reforms.

Yes, it's better to watch few quality teams with proper 3-5 match series including tour games.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

IMO. Test cricket is the real cricket. T20 cricket is fascinating but it will not help the players in improving their skills.

It just doesn't pay the bills. Everybody coming down on CSA like a ton of bricks.

But would either India or Pakistan prefer to send their best players to play a Test series in new Zealand over playing in IPL/PSL?

Would be foolish to do so.

T20 is the present and future of the sport. People actually watch it and are willing to pay for it.

Test cricket can be subsidised in India and India only. It will probably break even at least in England and Australia because their TV rights revolves around Test cricket and they get gate money.

It neither has enough fans in other countries nor do the other boards make enough money from leagues/white ball cricket to subsidise this extremely expensive , gentrified sport.

I applaud CSA for their honesty . Their CEO made it clear that nobody is interested in Tests compared to ODIs and SA T20.l and that even when England toured, there were more Barmy Army fans than local fans.

 

[hitthestump]

What are CSA supposed to do? They need money desperately.

It’s a matter of short term survival.

Let’s be real - the Big 3 have utterly killed test cricket for the fans. And no board is a bigger culprit than the BCCI.

 

[greatest]

It just doesn't pay the bills. Everybody coming down on CSA like a ton of bricks.

But would either India or Pakistan prefer to send their best players to play a Test series in new Zealand over playing in IPL/PSL?

Would be foolish to do so.

T20 is the present and future of the sport. People actually watch it and are willing to pay for it.

Test cricket can be subsidised in India and India only. It will probably break even at least in England and Australia because their TV rights revolves around Test cricket and they get gate money.

It neither has enough fans in other countries nor do the other boards make enough money from leagues/white ball cricket to subsidise this extremely expensive , gentrified sport.

I applaud CSA for their honesty . Their CEO made it clear that nobody is interested in Tests compared to ODIs and SA T20.l and that even when England toured, there were more Barmy Army fans than local fans.

I agree with you but one of the problems is that Test Cricket is not promoted and marketed in most of the countries. Why is that the English always pack the stadiums.

People would watch anything which is heavily promoted in the media. Test Cricket has a rich history featuring memorable matches and performances with so much suspense and drama that you can make people follow it like a Netflix series.

 

[Bewal Express]

Other nations should follow suit. Nobody cares about that Test series just like many others.

SA are rightly prioritising their highly successful T20 league .

Except that these franchise things have no intrinsic value. Its a tamasha whose legacies last than a week. Ask any player what they prefer- a test win in SA Or Australia( if you are PK or IND) or winning the IPL or PSL? What will they or the fans remember

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Except that these franchise things have no intrinsic value. Its a tamasha whose legacies last than a week. Ask any player what they prefer- a test win in SA Or Australia( if you are PK or IND) or winning the IPL or PSL? What will they or the fans remember

Intrinsic value is pretty meaningless. What does it even mean ?

Can boards justify the loss making exercise that is Test match cricket by scheduling more Tests at a time when even Ashes viewership numbers have declined massively in the UK( post 2005) ?

If winning in Australia was such a big deal, the likes of Mohammad Aamir, Wahab Riaz and Haris Rauf would not have refused to tour Australia to preserve their limited overs careers.

The likes of Shaheen and Naseem would not be playing every other 2 bit T20 league , instead of resting and prepping for big tours the way Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins do.

No matter what many of these players say publicly , their actions speak for themselves.

 

[Buffet]

Test cricket is the pinnacle of cricket, but WTC is a joke. Zero pedigree. A one off test match no one cares about as a final, not even a full series lol.

The “trophy” of test cricket has always been who can dominate most often abroad and at home over a period of 5-10+ years. A proper reign. True measure of consistency.

Not just based off one “cycle” of two years.

+1

WTC is joke. Any test fan knows it. 2 year cycle , against any 6 random teams, no home-away difference, one single test as final... so many meaningless steps.

As you said, real test is dominating home and away for 5-10 years. That's make a team great and not this WTC.

SA not caring about test is not new. This 2 tests trends are clear indication and it has been for a while.

 

[sweep_shot]

+1

WTC is joke. Any test fan knows it. 2 year cycle , against any 6 random teams, no home-away difference, one single test as final... so many meaningless steps.

As you said, real test is dominating home and away for 5-10 years. That's make a team great and not this WTC.

SA not caring about test is not new. This 2 tests trends are clear indication and it has been for a while.

WTC is a World Cup. In a World Cup, a team should be okay to face any team under any stipulation.

 

[Buffet]

WTC is a World Cup. In a World Cup, a team should be okay to face any team under any stipulation.

Its not a world cup. In world cup , all teams play in similar conditions in short period.

In WTC, Eng can play Pakistan, Zim, WI, BD etc and have one final in Lords and get this WTC.

 

[Bewal Express]

Intrinsic value is pretty meaningless. What does it even mean ?

Can boards justify the loss making exercise that is Test match cricket by scheduling more Tests at a time when even Ashes viewership numbers have declined massively in the UK( post 2005) ?

If winning in Australia was such a big deal, the likes of Mohammad Aamir, Wahab Riaz and Haris Rauf would not have refused to tour Australia to preserve their limited overs careers.

The likes of Shaheen and Naseem would not be playing every other 2 bit T20 league , instead of resting and prepping for big tours the way Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins do.

No matter what many of these players say publicly , their actions speak for themselves.

Intrinsic value isn't meaningless. It's a link to the past, it gives context and its something the public values.
You mentioned some players that don't value it and I have no problem with that but I guarantee Kohli, Tendulkar, IK and 100s of others wouldn't swap a test ton for all IPL gold. Who does the public remember and who will they remember.

There needs to be a balance. Think of it in movie terms- a studio makes films like Spider man etc that have a mass audience, then you have art films with a commercial appeal that you see Denzil, Tom Hanks star in and then you have you art house films. That is basically T20,ODI and Tests.

 

[sweep_shot]

Its not a world cup. In world cup , all teams play in similar conditions in short period.

In WTC, Eng can play Pakistan, Zim, WI, BD etc and have one final in Lords and get this WTC.

WTC is the Test equivalent of World Cup.

It is called "World Test Championship" for a reason.

 

[Buffet]

WTC is the Test equivalent of World Cup.

It is called "World Test Championship" for a reason.

No, it's not equivalent. It's not for anyone who understands test cricket.

 

[sweep_shot]

No, it's not equivalent. It's not for anyone who understands test cricket.

It is the Test World Cup as has been decided by ICC.

Whatever ICC decides is the final verdict.

ODI has ODI World Cup, T20 has World T20, and Test has WTC.

 

[Buffet]

It is the Test World Cup as has been decided by ICC.

Whatever ICC decides is the final verdict.

ODI has ODI World Cup, T20 has World T20, and Test has WTC.

It's not even called test world cup.

Test cricket is all about dominating proper series( not those 2 tests, they don't count) home and away for a long periods of 5-10 years.

 

[sweep_shot]

It's not even called test world cup.

Test cricket is all about dominating proper series( not those 2 tests, they don't count) home and away for a long periods of 5-10 years.

World Test Championship. It is a World Cup.

This is considered as an ICC trophy. Just like Champions Trophy, ODI World Cup, and World T20.

Again, it is about what ICC decides. Not what fans decide.

 

[RidiculousMan]

It's just a glimpse of what is to come. Test Cricket is becoming a luxury and only Big 3 Teams are really playing long and investing in it.

Leagues are the future.

 

[Buffet]

World Test Championship. It is a World Cup.

This is considered as an ICC trophy. Just like Champions Trophy, ODI World Cup, and World T20.

Again, it is about what ICC decides. Not what fans decide.

ICC can have a competition between BD, Zim, Afg, WI and Eng. Eng can be called champion in test cricket after beating everyone and playing one off final in Lords. ICC calling anyone anything does not make any difference.

Test cricket has always been about sustained dominance over a long period. Name itself is "Test" cricket. Real deal is how you do home and away over the 5-10 years period against all teams. Rest of it is marketing.

 

[Devadwal]

WTC is joke anyone understands cricket know that very well .
Untill ICC change the rule like everyone has to play 3 test match series with every team .
Final sould be 3 test match series away - home
Then people can take WTC seriously .
If WTC final play in india like past two times in England then India will win the every WTC final .lol

 

[sweep_shot]

If WTC final play in india like past two times in England then India will win the every WTC final .lol

Like how India won 2023 WC final? LOL.

A World Cup final should be one game. Not best of 3. This is not baseball.

 

[sweep_shot]

Whether someone takes WTC seriously or not doesn't matter.

It is about the official status of it. Cricket is controlled by ICC and they have decided that WTC would be an official ICC trophy. It has joined the ranks of ODI World Cup, World T20, and Champions Trophy.

Just because India can't win WTC (or any other ICC trophy since 2013) doesn't mean it is not important.

I guess this is what separates Australia from other teams. They focus on winning trophies instead of whining. Only country to win all 4 ICC trophies.

 

[jnaveen1980]

WTC is joke anyone understands cricket know that very well .
Untill ICC change the rule like everyone has to play 3 test match series with every team .
Final sould be 3 test match series away - home
Then people can take WTC seriously .
If WTC final play in india like past two times in England then India will win the every WTC final .lol

WTC was created to make tests relevant. Prize money 1.6 million. Second prize 800000. Seemingly big. This was made to make tests competitive. Same old teams do well. Australia or India. NZ got to 2021 final only because Australia was docked of points. Them winning th WTC do not make them a great test nation. India/Austalia and now recently England only three teams consistently do well in Tests. I understand teams that are in transition which are failing. But some are permanently in transition.

 

[greatest]

Except that these franchise things have no intrinsic value. Its a tamasha whose legacies last than a week. Ask any player what they prefer- a test win in SA Or Australia( if you are PK or IND) or winning the IPL or PSL? What will they or the fans remember

You are absolutely right but the problem is that nowadays players especially from West Indies, Sri Lanka and Pakistan are not giving priority to Test Cricket. Look at the Test performances of these teams before 2007 when T20 and IPL started and look at them now. They are a shadow of their past. They have the talent but their priorities are more on the shorter format.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Only way you can get teams to take tests seriously is by disqualifying them if they finish a certain level below.

 

[greatest]

WTC was created to make tests relevant. Prize money 1.6 million. Second prize 800000. Seemingly big. This was made to make tests competitive. Same old teams do well. Australia or India. NZ got to 2021 final only because Australia was docked of points. Them winning th WTC do not make them a great test nation. India/Austalia and now recently England only three teams consistently do well in Tests. I understand teams that are in transition which are failing. But some are permanently in transition.

If India don't make it into the finals this time then trust me ICC would scrap this WTC. If India wins then WTC would get a boost otherwise it's going dead.

 

[greatest]

Only way you can get teams to take tests seriously is by disqualifying them if they finish a certain level below.

But the problem is that ICC is also gifting Test status to teams like Afghanistan and Ireland. Who knows which team is next...U.A.E or Nepal?

Rather than disqualifying, they are adding more Test teams

 

[sweep_shot]

But the problem is that ICC is also gifting Test status to teams like Afghanistan and Ireland. Who knows which team is next...U.A.E or Nepal?

Afghanistan earned it fair and square.

 

[jnaveen1980]

But the problem is that ICC is also gifting Test status to teams like Afghanistan and Ireland. Who knows which team is next...U.A.E or Nepal?

Rather than disqualifying, they are adding more Test teams

Without relegation in place these teams won't have the motivatin to improve. Look at the gulf between top 3 and the bottom 3. Massive.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Well done to SA. They were not part of the Big 3, they have no obligation to carry the game.

 

[jnaveen1980]

SA20 is practically IPL version 2.0.

If India don't make it into the finals this time then trust me ICC would scrap this WTC. If India wins then WTC would get a boost otherwise it's going dead.

If India controls WTC then finals would have happened in India or subcontinent not in England. England is controlling all these things. INtroductino of T20. possibly future introductino of T10. ODI field restriction change. Mostly influenced by ENgland.

 

[greatest]

SA20 is practically IPL version 2.0.

If India controls WTC then finals would have happened in India or subcontinent not in England. England is controlling all these things. INtroductino of T20. possibly future introductino of T10. ODI field restriction change. Mostly influenced by ENgland.

I agree but to make it a financial and commercial success an Indian win helps. India wining the first T20 WC in 2007 really helped in flourishing this format to what it is now. Before 2007 it was played non seriously.

And you are right it was England who initially created this mess.

 

[Nasty Naz]

It's a further indication that a reckoning is coming to Cricket and coming soon. Hosting Test matches is a loss for boards outside the big 3 and fans for the most part, outside of a very niche audience don't care about it.

T20 is the present & the future and players + board will be prioritizing that going forward. Eventually it will just be the big 3 left to play Tests because no one else will care about it.

 

[jnaveen1980]

I agree but to make it a financial and commercial success an Indian win helps. India wining the first T20 WC in 2007 really helped in flourishing this format to what it is now. Before 2007 it was played non seriously.

And you are right it was England who initially created this mess.

Bazball was supposed to give life to Tests. let us see how they do in 5 test series in India.

 

[greatest]

Afghanistan earned it fair and square.

Well they play Tests like ODIs. I like the good old days when teams had to tour Test nations and play 4 day games against their domestic teams and also play an unofficial Test to earn the right to get a Test Status.
Sri Lanka had been playing cricket since the early 50s but got Test status in 1981. Zimbabwe too played a couple of series against Australia A and England B plus an England tour playing the counties before getting Test status in 1992.

 

[greatest]

Bazball was supposed to give life to Tests. let us see how they do in 5 test series in India.

I have a feeling they would not play Bazball in India. They would play something else!

 

[sweep_shot]

Well they play Tests like ODIs. I like the good old days when teams had to tour Test nations and play 4 day games against their domestic teams and also play an unofficial Test to earn the right to get a Test Status.
Sri Lanka had been playing cricket since the early 50s but got Test status in 1981. Zimbabwe too played a couple of series against Australia A and England B plus an England tour playing the counties before getting Test status in 1992.

Those days are gone. ICC can't follow those old ways. Cricket has changed. There is more cricket now. Packed schedules.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

This is lowest point of any cricketing team .test cricket is above all the league around the world .
BCCI is biggest culprits so i don't blame South Africa here

Tbf BCCI show more priority for tests than most countries.

 

[ads101]

Test cricket should become one innings in my opinion with perhaps a maximum overs installed. This reduces days significantly (maybe 3 days or even 2) making it easier to be profitable and reduce risk of injuries. Also the second innings tends not to be as influential. Usually the game is decided by first innings already. Or the home team/favourite uses it to make up for a shock failure in first innings (hence leading to the underdog winning less). Second innings can be great, but the whole purpose of it doesnt work anymore, it’s supposed to give a second chance to a team. It usually in reality just gives a second chance to home or favourite team. And home advantage is becoming more and more important.

This current format of 5 day test isn’t working, you can’t continue to run something which people don’t want to watch and make losses just to appeal die hard fans. The WTC hasn't changed that. There needs to be major changes. The quality of test cricket gets worse every year, the best players are preferring to specialise in limited overs. If you don’t change it, it will just inevitably continue dying until it’s gone completely.

 

[ElRaja]

to everyone saying playing test cricket is not viable, then pull out, dont play at all, i dont see the point in SA and WI sending reserve teams, if your not making money and have no interest in trying to keep the format alive, just pull out. play the money making series only, and serve up good teams.

i dont care if test cricket ends up being the big 3 + Pak and NZ, even if it means Pak and NZ only play 6 tests a year, as long as they are good tests, its good enough for me.

on another note i could feign ignorance and pretend im surprised a certain group of fans have a problem with the WTC, but its just too funny. you guys are obvious as daylight, didnt care about t20s but when u won the first trophy suddenly it was the most important format in the world.

the wtc was a legit effort to try and crown a champion of test cricket, in a manner which highlights the mental strength required to deal with a one off final, like all tournament finals should be. it also gave a very good NZ team a much deserved ICC trophy, to step up the way they did in a final was fairytale stuff for guys like Ross Talylor and Trent Boult.

 

[greatest]

Those days are gone. ICC can't follow those old ways. Cricket has changed. There is more cricket now. Packed schedules.

Teams which are in the waiting list for Test status can definitely play domestic teams and unofficial Tests against A and B teams of Test nations.
Look at Bangladesh they are still struggling and they were awarded Test status prematurely because of their 1999 WC ODI win against Pakistan.

 

[sweep_shot]

Teams which are in the waiting list for Test status can definitely play domestic teams and unofficial Tests against A and B teams of Test nations.
Look at Bangladesh they are still struggling and they were awarded Test status prematurely because of their 1999 WC ODI win against Pakistan.

This is not practical. Like I said, every country is now busy with packed schedules. There is a ICC tournament every single year. There are many T20 and T10 leagues worldwide.

Playing multiple unofficial Tests is not practical in today's age.

Test status should be granted based on how teams are doing in ICC events.

I agree with you that Bangladesh didn't deserve the Test status in 2000.

 

[greatest]

This is not practical. Like I said, every country is now busy with packed schedules. There is a ICC tournament every single year. There are many T20 and T10 leagues worldwide.

Playing multiple unofficial Tests is not practical in today's age.

Test status should be granted based on how teams are doing in ICC events.

I agree with you that Bangladesh didn't deserve the Test status in 2000.

Bro, aspiring teams like Netherlands or Scotland can definitely tour England and play counties like Essex, Surrey, Lancashire etc. Or they can tour Australia and play a few games against Queensland and Tasmania. What has this to do with packed schedule?
And same with unofficial Tests against A and B teams. These are not international teams of their countries.

 

[Devadwal]

Like how India won 2023 WC final? LOL.

A World Cup final should be one game. Not best of 3. This is not baseball.

There is huge difference between T20 ,ODI and test cricket .if you understand this then you understand what was i said.

 

[Kianig89]

The defining moment for Test cricket, SA have taken the lead more to follow after 2025, Test cricket will be played between big 3 only.

 

[sweep_shot]

There is huge difference between T20 ,ODI and test cricket .if you understand this then you understand what was i said.

If WTC final takes place between India and Australia in India, I expect Aussies to win.

Aussies are experts at winning finals.

Aussies can win in any format. 10 ICC trophies.

 

[ElRaja]

If WTC final takes place between India and Australia in India, I expect Aussies to win.

Aussies are experts at winning finals.

Aussies can win in any format. 10 ICC trophies.

aussies are genetic freaks for cricket, so many times you think they cant keep going when there top players retire, but lillee gave way to mcgrath, have way to patto... border gave way to punter gave way to smith...

would take an immense effort for any team to match their consistency over the last 30 years. steve waugh is underrated for the legacy of what he built, and the attitude he instilled in his team.

 

[greatest]

aussies are genetic freaks for cricket, so many times you think they cant keep going when there top players retire, but lillee gave way to mcgrath, have way to patto... border gave way to punter gave way to smith...

would take an immense effort for any team to match their consistency over the last 30 years. steve waugh is underrated for the legacy of what he built, and the attitude he instilled in his team.

They always plan well and look towards the future. And most importantly they don't have a 'star' or player power culture. Even if you are the best player in the world, if you don't perform or break the team discipline then you are out.

 

[ElRaja]

They always plan well and look towards the future. And most importantly they don't have a 'star' or player power culture. Even if you are the best player in the world, if you don't perform or break the team discipline then you are out.

andrew symonds is the greatest what could have been in test cricket, pbly the biggest talent they let walk off due to his off field issues, there is no other team in the world who would have let him walk away.

 

[deltexas]

So we will have a deliberately undercooked/rookie Test side taking on NZ on an away tour. Almost a given that they will lose unless NZ decides to do the same!

What's the point of WTC when boards will take such decisions along the way? Is it not an insult to the whole WTC concept? Or should other nations follow suit given that this is the T20 World Cup year?

==

South Africa have named their 14-player Test squad for the tour of New Zealand in January with a new captain to lead a rookie squad.

Uncapped Neil Brand will lead South Africa in New Zealand in the two-match ICC World Test Championship series with only three players from the squad currently playing India travelling with the team.

The 27-year-old Brand has played 51 first-class matches, scoring 2906 runs at an average of 39.27 and has 72 wickets with his slow left-arm orthodox spin.

The changes come owing to a clash with the SA20, the T20 franchise tournament conducted by South Africa in January, where most of the contracted Test players will play.

"Firstly I would like to congratulate the players that will be going on a Proteas tour for the first time," Test head coach Shukri Conrad said.

"It is a real honour to represent your country, so they should savour the moment.

"The players picked for this tour have every chance of challenging New Zealand and we have full confidence they will do exactly that when we arrive for the first Test match at Mount Maunganui.

"Most of these guys participated in the recent 'A' series against West Indies where they showed that they have what it takes against players of international calibre. That experience will no doubt leave them in a better position for what we expect to be a testing series in New Zealand."

Keegan Petersen and Zubayr Hamza aside, David Bedingham, who made his Test debut last week, are the only players in the touring party who are in the Test squad for the Cape Town Test against India.

There are six uncapped players in the squad with Duanne Olivier, capped 15 times in Tests, the most experienced.

Brand will become the first player since Lee Germon in 1995 to lead an international men's team on Test debut (if it's not also the team's first-ever Test).

The tour will be a huge challenge for the newbies with WTC points at stake and a history to defend. New Zealand have never beaten South Africa in a men's Test series till date.

South Africa Test squad: Neil Brand (captain), David Bedingham, Ruan de Swardt, Clyde Fortuin, Zubayr Hamza, Tshepo Moreki, Mihlali Mpongwana, Duanne Olivier, Dane Paterson, Keegan Petersen, Dane Piedt, Raynard van Tonder, Shaun von Berg, and Khaya Zondo.

ICC

Its not an insult. Its practical. I like test cricket but the reality is tests are a loss making proposition for all countries excl Big 3. So yes even in SA NA Pak r SL - tests are a loss venture financially. They are subsidized by the ODIs and T20s that are played in the series - more so the T20s. T20s are the future whether folks agree or not. It's just market driven.

Also some astounding stats that posters here should know. The median age in Pak is 21yrs ! Thats a very young demographic.. Just imagine 21 yrs! So goinf forward do you think the next gens will watch test cricket with attention spans being so limited with cell phones social media etc.. Pak has to realize this and stop playing tests and just focus on T20s. Even more astounding - the median age in Afghanistan is 17 yrs ! Damn just 17 yrs old! Thats a very very young population. Prime for T20 , no way they will watch tests. Ind has a median age 28 yrs , so still sizeable test viewing crowd and more so bcos Ind has a popn of 1,5 billion - so even a fraction of that is massive and way more than all other countries combined. Plus Ind can afford to subsidize tests if needed to but other countries cant. So the reality is tests are a dying format and T20s are the future. And ODIs will only exist as a ODI WC format. Even the Champions trophy is being made into T20s.

 

[Human786]

ridiculous by SAF .

 

[jnaveen1980]

If WTC final takes place between India and Australia in India, I expect Aussies to win.

Aussies are experts at winning finals.

Aussies can win in any format. 10 ICC trophies.

You expect every India to lose every match lol So not surprising. But he is correct in saying facing Ashwin/Jadeja as all rounders is a completely different ball game than India choking themselves to stupor in LOIs. India can win in auto pilot mode in India. If anything they will decimate anyone in Tests in a final.

 

[sweep_shot]

You expect every India to lose every match lol So not surprising. But he is correct in saying facing Ashwin/Jadeja as all rounders is a completely different ball game than India choking themselves to stupor in LOIs. India can win in auto pilot mode in India. If anything they will decimate anyone in Tests in a final.

No. I never said that.

I can also say the same about you. You expect India to win every time.

In a final game between Aussies and India, I back Aussies to win (no matter where the venue is or what the format is).

 

[jnaveen1980]

No. I never said that.

I can also say the same about you. You expect India to win every time.

What I said was in a final game between Aussies and India, I back Aussies to win (no matter where the venue is or what the format is).

I disagree. In LOIs there is a good chance current Indian team can c hoke. In Tests they have never beaten India in an important where Ashwin played. 2011 quarter final. Ashwin played. Australia lost to India. 2023 preliminary round Ashwin played. They lost. He has complete wood over them. Ashwin didn't play in either of the finals. WTC final or WC final. With him against their left handers he is a beast. It is ala bout team combo

 

[BDfanforever]

Disband all the current formats. Come up with a new ONE balanced format. I think something like T30 would be great. Champions Trophy every 2 years and World Cup every 4 years. Leagues can also start to transition into T30 format. Everything stays consistent and simple.

No other professional sports in the world have bunch of different formats besides Cricket.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Disband all the current formats. Come up with a new ONE balanced format. I think something like T30 would be great. Champions Trophy every 2 years and World Cup every 4 years. Leagues can also start to transition into T30 format. Everything stays consistent and simple.

No other professional sports in the world have bunch of different formats besides Cricket.

I don't think any format is going away. Test matches are why first class exists. That is where cricketing basics are developed. Otherwise soon world will be full of hacks with no technique. T20 leagues are profitable leagues. No Board is going to dare to lower their standard. If India has a test series during IPL INdia will also send D string side. Just that India makes sure schedule doesn't clash with their league. SA has to avoid scheduling during their league. Window will become narrow. But that is the only way you can deal with it. T20 leagues will have far reaching impact. More they are successful more it will impact internationals. That is why T20 internatinoals should be scrapped altogether. Pointless. Just use T20 just for leagues. Keep ODIs and Tests for internationals.

 

[greatest]

I don't think any format is going away. Test matches are why first class exists. That is where cricketing basics are developed. Otherwise soon world will be full of hacks with no technique. T20 leagues are profitable leagues. No Board is going to dare to lower their standard. If India has a test series during IPL INdia will also send D string side. Just that India makes sure schedule doesn't clash with their league. SA has to avoid scheduling during their league. Window will become narrow. But that is the only way you can deal with it. T20 leagues will have far reaching impact. More they are successful more it will impact internationals. That is why T20 internatinoals should be scrapped altogether. Pointless. Just use T20 just for leagues. Keep ODIs and Tests for internationals.

Totally agree with you!

 

[KB]

So is the future of cricket basically a profusion of T20 cricket matches played in various leagues interspersed with the odd Test series, mainly between the big 3?

Although I enjoy the T20 cricket in short bursts, I would find this outcome where there is a dominance and saturation of short form cricket to be quite unappealing.

T20 cricket, to me, is like a fireworks display. You may go ‘wow’ when watching it live, but it is soon forgotten; neither that memorable nor meaningful.

Maybe I am just a washed up old codger, but if Test cricket declines, I think something of the game’s subtle brilliance will be lost.

 

[kingusama92]

Tests are fading.

There are two ways this could go in the next 5-10 years.

1. They eliminate all Tests except for the Ashes, India v England, and Australia v India (maybe India vs PAK too if relations are good)
2. They eliminate all Tests except for the Ashes

A different idea that came to mind was to leverage the value of India, Australia, and England.

I would create a World XI and have them tour these nations for a series. You can have a Christmas series in Australia, a winter series in India, and a summer series in England. Doesn't have to be in the same year. Pay the World XI a good sum of money to make it appealing to them and distribute the funds throughout the ICC members. It would also be less repetitive than just having Australia, India, and England play each other.

The fans will show up because of the stars that are going to be on the field against their nation. It will be a good challenge for these teams. It would also allow the ICC to make money from Tests assuming they even want to keep this format alive.

If they continue with the bilateral approach, this format stands no chance beyond the Ashes or matches involving India due to media rights.

They likely just want to scrap Tests but don't want to say it out loud. I am leaning towards them just removing Tests over time, especially when the BCCI starts running the IPL for 6+ months.

 

[Major]

Im glad test cricket is fading. Sorry to say, but its just boring when the game is being played on batting tracks.

T20 is the way forward. No one has 8 hours on weekday to watch cricket

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Tbf BCCI show more priority for tests than most countries.

Good for them. Now let them carry test cricket along with their partners in the Big 3.

 

[mon858]

Im glad test cricket is fading. Sorry to say, but its just boring when the game is being played on batting tracks.

T20 is the way forward. No one has 8 hours on weekday to watch cricket

Sad to read this coming from a senior poster. Test cricket is still the real deal, its the pinnacle of the game, the origin, the real test over a longer period, real way to figure out who is truly better rather than over a 120 ball smash contest.
I thoroughly enjoyed the last test in particular even though we lost. Tests in Australia, England. South Africa, New Zealand and to an extent West Indies are will well watched by local crowds and also quite entertaining for TV viewing especially as a Pakistan fan whenever our team tours. If anything tests played in Pakistan tend to be more boring due to flat pitches (which could change perhaps with the new coaching/captain setup now).

Also one doesn't have to watch all 8 hrs all 5 days. You can watch highlights or certain sessions. Or in my case I usually watch some sessions on replay (without having seen score) while skipping ads and skipping to points where wickets fell, etc.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

to everyone saying playing test cricket is not viable, then pull out, dont play at all, i dont see the point in SA and WI sending reserve teams, if your not making money and have no interest in trying to keep the format alive, just pull out. play the money making series only, and serve up good teams.

i dont care if test cricket ends up being the big 3 + Pak and NZ, even if it means Pak and NZ only play 6 tests a year, as long as they are good tests, its good enough for me.

on another note i could feign ignorance and pretend im surprised a certain group of fans have a problem with the WTC, but its just too funny. you guys are obvious as daylight, didnt care about t20s but when u won the first trophy suddenly it was the most important format in the world.

the wtc was a legit effort to try and crown a champion of test cricket, in a manner which highlights the mental strength required to deal with a one off final, like all tournament finals should be. it also gave a very good NZ team a much deserved ICC trophy, to step up the way they did in a final was fairytale stuff for guys like Ross Talylor and Trent Boult.

I know you are insinuating that Indian fans are the ones pushing this but this couldn't be further from the truth.

India actually warmed up to T20's much later even after we won the first World T20.

We were much more focused on Tests and ODIs until very recently.

We barely even selected T20 players for a good decade after that with the likes of Rahane - a Test player playing in the T20 side.

I simply don't agree with the idea that you have to subsidise Test matches from the profits made in white ball cricket.

The WTC forces boards to do that. You yourself said that boards should pull out and play only ad hoc series and I totally agree with that. Test series should be done only bilaterally.

ODIs need more attention. The World Cup was a massive financial success and there needs to be a structured format for bilateral ODIs because this format is neither played competitively at the domestic level nowadays so going forward we need bilateral series for this.

Unlike Tests, ODIs are still profitable for smaller boards and 50 over tournaments make big money for the ICC as well

There is no justification for Test matches/WTC taking up as much of the calendar as it does now.

 

[Marooned]

Bazball was supposed to give life to Tests. let us see how they do in 5 test series in India.

England won the 1st test last time in India by a big margin.

Then India resorted to garbage rank turners and won the series..

 

[Marooned]

+1

WTC is joke. Any test fan knows it. 2 year cycle , against any 6 random teams, no home-away difference, one single test as final... so many meaningless steps.

As you said, real test is dominating home and away for 5-10 years. That's make a team great and not this WTC.

SA not caring about test is not new. This 2 tests trends are clear indication and it has been for a while.

Lol

Whatever but you would be finding something positive to say about wtc had India won it. But because India hasn't won it you are basically cursing it

 

[MenInG]

David Warner from his retirement presser:

Do you have concerns about the future of Test cricket?

"I think the concerns are with the governing bod(ies) to make sure that the scheduling is well in place. I think they're doing that at the moment. Don't think it's on my terms to comment about South Africa's seven debutants (in their Test squad for their upcoming New Zealand tour). But that's just showing at the moment where it could be potentially heading. There's going to be a lot of conversations in the next year about it. For us we need to keep Test cricket alive. It's the pinnacle of the game. We absolutely love it and when you get that taste of it and you're out there five days toiling – I look at that Pakistan series (in 2022) and we played 15 days of hard cricket and it all came down to that last day, that's what Test cricket is all about – hopefully that can keep surviving.

 

[MenInG]

 

[MenInG]

‘They don’t care’: Steve Waugh slams cricket bosses over South Africa Test farce

A furious Steve Waugh has accused the International Cricket Council and administrators from leading nations of ignoring the welfare of Test cricket after South Africa prioritised their Twenty20 competition over a tour of New Zealand.

“Obviously they don’t care,” Waugh told this masthead after South Africa named seven uncapped players in their 14-man squad to face the Black Caps in a two-Test series next month.

New captain Neil Brand is yet to play international cricket, while only two players from South Africa’s Test victory over India last week have been included.

Waugh fears that major events like the Boxing Day Test will be seriously impacted in coming years.

“It’s going to happen if the South African Cricket Board are any indication of the future, keeping their best players at home,” he said. “If I was New Zealand I wouldn’t even play the series. I don’t know why they’re even playing. Why would you when it shows a lack of respect for New Zealand cricket?

“It’s pretty obvious what the problem is. The West Indies aren’t sending their full-strength side [to Austalia this summer]. They haven’t picked a full-strength Test team for a couple of years now.

“Someone like Nicholas Pooran is really a Test batsman who doesn’t play Test cricket. Jason Holder, probably their best player, is not playing now. Even Pakistan didn’t send a full side [to Australia].

“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.

“I understand why players don’t come. They’re not getting paid properly. I don’t understand why ICC or the top countries who are making a lot of money don’t just have a regulation set fee for Test matches which is a premium, so people are incentivised to play Test Cricket.

“Otherwise they just play T10 or T20. The public are the ones who are going to suffers because it’s not the full side playing, so it’s not Test cricket.

The wealthy Board of Control for Cricket in India demands and receives an ever greater share of ICC revenue when most other countries run Test cricket at a loss.

India’s share of ICC television rights jumped from 22 per cent of about $3 billion in 2017 to 38 per cent of about $4.5 billion in 2023.

This is after US media giant Disney and India’s Reliance Industries paid the BCCI $8.6 billion for the television and digital rights to broadcast the IPL, making it one of the most lucrative sports leagues in the world in terms of cost per game.

An IPL match is billed in rights value at $21.7 million per game, ahead of the English Premier League’s $16.8 million per game, Indian media reported at the time. The combined value of the IPL rights was estimated to be almost double the 2018-22 deal.

Cricket South Africa has an agreement with the South African players’ union to allow its best players to play in India’s IPL, which has disrupted Test tours in the past. South Africa cancelled a one-day tour of Australia last year for the same reason.

Waugh originally raised his concerns on Instagram, posting the largely anonymous South African squad. Underneath his message began wrote: “Is this a defining moment in the death of Test cricket.”

He finished with: “History and tradition must count for something. If we stand by and allow profits to be the defining criteria the legacy of Bradman, Grace and Sobers will be irrelevant.”

David Warner claimed that it was up to governing bodies to make sure that the correct scheduling was in place. While he would not comment directly on South Africa’s squad Warner said on Monday: “That’s just showing where it [Test cricket] could be potentially heading.

“There’s going to be a lot of conversations I think in the next year most definitely about it, and I think for us we need to keep Test cricket alive. It’s the pinnacle of the game. We absolutely love it and when you get that taste of it when you’re out there five days toiling. Hopefully, that can keep surviving.

SMH

 

[sam_ahm]

From the team selection it seems that they don't care.

I don't think CSA had a choice. Everyone is bashing CSA here but they have an agreement with SA20 franchises that all South African players contracted with the SA20 franchises will be ALWAYS available for SA20 (unless they are injured)

CSA tried to move this series to after SA20 but NZC did not agree. So it's neither the choice of CSA nor the players. Franchise owners rule here.