Steve Smith, Pat Cummins express concern over T20 format diminishing Test Cricket's significance

As the cricketing world prepares for an exciting summer, prominent Australian players are concerned about the future of Test cricket. The forthcoming season offers a one-of-a-kind challenge, with South Africa sending a second-string team to New Zealand, which has raised eyebrows and fueled worries within the cricketing world.

3 things you need  to know

• Australian players believe that due to T20 format of cricket, Test cricket is slowly declining 
• T20I World Cup will be held next year in USA and West Indies 
• Australia won the WTC Final and retained the Ashes 2023 earlier this year

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Challenges Loom Over Test Cricket's Future: Concerns Rise Among Senior Australian Players

South African administrators have made the unusual decision to prioritise their lucrative home Twenty20 league above the two-Test visit of New Zealand set for February. This move has prompted a discussion about the importance of Test cricket and the priorities established by cricket boards.

Australia confronts a difficult home summer with three Tests against Pakistan, followed by a second straight season of West Indies touring. While Pakistan has the potential to be a true danger, the West Indies, long a strong power, has seen its status fade over the last decade as Twenty20 cricket and other sports have grown in popularity.

Prominent Australian players, notably captain Pat Cummins and Steve Smith, have expressed worry about the changing dynamics of Test cricket. Smith conveyed his( quoted by Daily Mail) displeasure, noting

, "That's not really what you want to see for Test cricket." 

'Ultimately it's their decision as a board around what's important to them. But it's not ideal.'

Cummins echoed the sentiment, saying, 

"I don't know what to think; it's disappointing to hear."

'It's weird, because in Australia Tests are so strong. The crowds are great, millions of people watch each summer. It's really well supported.

'You'd hope that just like some T20 tournaments are very commercial, you've got to find a way to make a Test series commercial for some of these countries.'

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Cummins, a staunch supporter of lengthier Test series, feels that the present two-match format is detrimental to the game's sustainability. He emphasises the importance of financial sustainability in the Test series, comparing it to the success of T20 competitions.

While conceding the difficulties, Cummins provides a remedy to the five-day format's decline: play longer series instead of three-Test attempts. In the next decade, he anticipates a cricketing environment with 20 Test teams, emphasising the significance of striking a balance between Test cricket and profitable T20 leagues.

Cameron Green, Australia's youngest player of the decade, is upbeat about the strength of Test cricket. Green proposes adopting strategic windows to prevent nations from scheduling Tests during their T20 leagues, boosting teamwork, and ensuring players get adequate rest.

As the cricketing world grapples with these difficulties, the future of Test cricket hangs in the balance, with players and cricket boards attempting to strike the appropriate balance between tradition and the sport's developing landscape.