Aakash Chopra thinks that with the current wave of player retirements from Test cricket test cricket is fighting to survive.
The most recent player to say goodbye to red-ball cricket is Heinrich Klaasen. He only made four Test appearances for South Africa but is much sought after in franchise leagues.
Since the series is taking place during the SA20 league, South Africa is sending a subpar team to New Zealand. It demonstrates how even cricket boards have begun to favor other forms above Test cricket.
Aakash Chopra claims that with so many players retiring, test cricket is fighting to survive
“Heinrich Klaasen announced his retirement from Test cricket,” Chopra explained in a video he posted on his YouTube account, reflecting on the events and expressing worry about the future of the sport. He is not too old and has just played in a few games, but he declared that he is done. Retirements are happening more often now, almost like a trend.”
“It seems like Test cricket is fighting a little bit to survive. An existential crisis is essentially an issue of survival. Some are retiring, and some are refusing central contracts because they prefer to remain independent. They claim they have no desire to use the format at all.
Chopra stated that as players must make a livelihood, their decision to retire from Test cricket cannot be considered righteously. The South African board, he said, cannot be held accountable for giving primacy to the SA20 league since they maintain that without it, their cricket cannot be saved at all.
“The reality is that just two teams in the whole can afford Test cricket”
Aakash Chopra asserted that the only nations where Test cricket is commercially successful are England and Australia, except India to some extent.
The former cricket player who is now a broadcaster agrees with Mark Butcher and Mohammad Hafeez that Test cricket should have a minimum income.
Chopra continued by saying that nations like India have the option to pay their athletes more than the minimum wage if they so want. He said, “Players might like to continue playing Tests if a minimum pay is guaranteed. Or else they would want to bid adieu to the format.
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