"Send countries bankrupt if..."- Cricket Australia CEO warns ICC on future of Test cricket

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has set up a working group to discuss the future of the Test format as it looks forward to introducing the two-tier system in the future. However, this won’t be that easy, given how the smaller nations won’t find much room to improve their skills if they keep playing against the weaker sides.

Moreover, if someone on the traditional sides gets down to the second layer and the top sides remain at the top, then it will create an issue to arrange the marquee series between them, including the Ashes, Border-Gavaskar Trophy, or the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Cricket Australia CEO, Todd Greenberg, wants to prioritize quality over quantity.

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“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. We're trying to send countries bankrupt if we force them to try to play Test cricket.” Greenberg expressed during a recent interaction on the BBC.

Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg warns ICC over future of Test cricket

The success of the five-match Test series between England and India and Australia vs India was excellent, while on the other hand, it is expected to remain the same for the Ashes 2025/26, which will get underway in Australia in 100 days and will surely get greater investment.

“We need to make sure we invest in the right spaces to play Test cricket where it means something and has jeopardy. That's why the Ashes will be as enormous and profitable as it is - because it means something.” Greenberg noted that questions have been raised after the West Indies side was rolled over for 27 runs against Australia during the Jamaica pink-ball Test, while Zimbabwe lost all four of their Tests at home against South Africa and New Zealand.

The growth of the shortest formats and the league has proved difficult for the longest format, as it offers lucrative player contracts in domestic cricket and is adding congestion to the global calendar.