Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra shared his opinion regarding the topic that caught the cricketing world’s eyeballs. Given the recent team selections made by Pakistan and South Africa, Aakash Chopra strongly believes that the greatest format of cricket, Test cricket is in jeopardy.
The Test squad for South Africa’s forthcoming series against New Zealand has been announced that includes seven uncapped players, including a new skipper South Africa announced a depleted red-ball team for their tour of New Zealand, choosing to focus on their T20 league above the longest format of the game.
The only members of the squad are David Bedingham and Keegan Petersen, who were both in the starting XI for the Boxing Day Test against India. Shaheen Shah Afridi has been rested by Pakistan for the current Sydney Test match against Australia.
Aakash Chopra said that the Proteas think-tank made a similar choice the previous year when they decided against playing an ODI series against Australia despite the possibility that it would have compromised their prospects of earning a direct World Cup berth. He continued by saying that the goal was to create the SA20, and they had succeeded in doing so.
Test cricket is in the ICU at the moment-Aakash Chopra Worried About the Longevity of the Format
Test cricket is in terrible shape, according to Aakash Chopra, who expressed his thoughts on the situation in a video posted on his YouTube channel. He stated that there are just three teams remaining that can afford to play test cricket out of the small number of teams who do so.
“Believe it or not, Test cricket is in ICU at the moment and has been put on the ventilator. Firstly, a handful of teams play Test cricket and among them also, only three teams are left that can afford to play Test cricket,” said Aakash Chopra.
The former opener for India highlighted that South Africa had given the SA20 league more importance than Test cricket and announced a proper second-string test squad for the series against New Zealand.
“South Africa recently announced their team for the series against New Zealand. They have made a proper second-string team. The reason is that SA20 is about to start. It is their domestic T20 tournament,” he added.
The Other Kids Can Play Test Cricket- Aakash Chopra On South Africa’s Star Players Competing In The SA20 League Ahead Of The Tests Against New Zealand
Aakash Chopra pointed out that while the more experienced players would compete in the SA20, the relatively inexperienced players will represent South Africa against New Zealand in the Test series.
“Two Test matches of the WTC cycle have come this time. They said let’s leave the Test match and that they will play in the SA20, from (Aiden) Markram to (Kagiso) Rabada to everyone, that all of them should be available there (SA20) and the rest of the kids can play Test cricket. That is incident No. 1,” said Aakash Chopra.
Another nail in the coffin of Test cricket, according to the cricketer-turned-commentator, is Pakistan’s decision to rest Shaheen Shah Afridi for the final test match against Australia.
“The second incident is what Pakistan have done. They have rested Shaheen Shah Afridi in the New Year’s Test against Australia. When was the last time an Asian team went to Australia and said they would rest their main player, even if it’s a dead rubber, because you want him to be ready for T20 cricket?,” he added.
In the end of his talk, Aakash Chopra expressed his opinion that the only three sides currently able to afford Test cricket are Australia, England, and India. He made the point that although England and Australia profit from the format, India’s strong economy allows them to subsidize it.