“I wouldn’t even play the series,” former Australian captain fumes as South Africa sends team without key players 

Steve Waugh claimed the ICC must prevent the death of Test cricket by paying the players better for every Test they play.

“I wouldn’t even play the series,” former Australian captain fumes as South Africa sends team without key players 

Steve Waugh says South Africa sending a 2nd string team is one step closer to the death of Test cricket (Image via ESPN)

Cricket South Africa has been under fire from fans and pundits after they decided to send a 14-man Test squad filled with players with little to no Test experience. The squad included 7 uncapped players, with the most experienced player playing 15 Tests. This is due to many of their stars playing in the SA20, CSA’s franchise league. 

Former Australian Captain, Steve Waugh, is regarded as one of the greatest Test captains the game has ever seen. Talking to the Sydney Morning Herald, he couldn’t hold back his disappointment at CSA, adding the death of Test cricket was near. 

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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? Is this a defining moment in the death of Test cricket? Surely the ICC along the cricket boards of India, England and Australia must step in to protect the purest form of the game.
Steve Waugh told the Sydney Morning Herald

He added that the ICC must step in to protect the history and legacy of Test cricket. He said the ICC must pay players more to play Test cricket, in hopes the players will prefer to play the longest format. Waugh also said it’ll affect the fans, as teams don’t use their full-strength and matches will be less interesting. 

Pat Cummins hopes drop of Test cricket’s popularity is just a phase 

During the pre-match press conference, Pat Cummins was asked about South Africa’s decision to send a 2nd string team to New Zealand. He expressed his view on how popular T20 cricket is but admitted that the fan following of the sport has increased. He admitted that he hoped more people watched Tests, but had no doubts about the popularity of the sport. 

Pat Cummins
Pat Cummins hopes more people watch Test cricket (Image via ESPN)
I have always been a huge fan of Test cricket, but I do think it goes through phases. I understand that the South African team is not sending their strongest side, but I hope that this is just a phase.
Pat Cummins said in the press conference on the eve of Sydney Test

The supposed “death” of Test cricket has been a major topic of discussion ever since the introduction of the Indian Premier League. Many cricket boards which aren’t the Big 3 (India, Australia and England) and Pakistan have suffered losses while hosting Tests. As a way to earn more money, many prefer to organize more limited over games, with Franchise cricket being a great source of income. 

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