As the West Indies seeks ways to revitalize its once-dominant test team, Cricket Australia’s CEO, Todd Greenberg, cautions that some competing nations might face financial ruin if they persist in prioritizing the lengthiest game type.
Greenberg, who formerly headed the Australian Cricketers’ Association and took over the national governing body in March, suggests that limiting test cricket might actually be beneficial. He voiced his opinion to local media at an occasion marking the countdown to the Ashes series between England and Australia. He stated that not every cricket-playing nation needs to participate in test cricket, and that this could be acceptable.
Currently, the International Cricket Council has 12 full members eligible to play test matches, including Australia, England, South Africa, West Indies, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Ireland.
Test cricket’s popularity has waned in favor of shorter formats like one-day internationals and the even more commercially viable Twenty20 matches. The T20 format includes the Indian Premier League, the world’s most attended cricket tournament.
Greenberg emphasized the need to invest in test cricket only where it is meaningful and competitive. He believes that the Ashes series is highly profitable because of its intrinsic value.
To address the imbalance between strong and weak test cricket nations, some have proposed a two-tier test system.
The West Indies recently convened a two-day emergency summit for Caribbean cricket, inviting legends such as Brian Lara and Clive Lloyd. Their aim is to develop plans to restore the West Indies to its former glory in the international test format, a position they held in the 1970s and early 1980s.
The summit was prompted by the West Indies team’s dismal performance, scoring only 27 runs in their second innings – just one run above the all-time low test record – during a series loss to Australia.
Lara commented after the summit that the Caribbean team needs to make steady progress to regain its status in test cricket. He acknowledged that it’s a gradual process and that the review was overdue, emphasizing that the issue extends beyond the 27-run score. He stressed the importance of addressing these issues promptly to ensure the team’s competitiveness in the future.
Greenberg suggests that it might be too late for certain teams. He understands that some traditionalists might disagree with his viewpoint but underscores the risk of financially burdening countries by pressuring them to play test cricket when it may not be sustainable.