Steve Waugh Criticises South Africa For Ignoring Test; Urges ICC and BCCI To Save Red-Ball Cricket

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Australian legend Steve Waugh tore into Cricket South Africa for naming a depleted Test squad for the New Zealand series owing to SA20 running concurrently. The former middle-order batter urged ICC and BCCI to step in and save Test cricket.

According to a CSA ruling, no player contracted to SA20 franchises is eligible for selection for the Tests. Steve Waugh felt that CSA doesn't care about the Test and that New Zealand shouldn't play the series at all.

"Obviously, they don't care. It's going to happen if the South African cricket board are any indication of the future, keeping their best players at home," Waugh told the Sydney Morning Herald. "If I was New Zealand, I wouldn't even play the series. I don't know why they're even playing. Why would you when it shows a lack of respect for New Zealand cricket?"

Initially, Steve Waugh also took to Instagram to raise his concern, adding that if they keep looking at cricket this way then the legacies of the likes of Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Garfield Sobers would become irrelevant.

"Is this a defining moment in the death of Test cricket? Surely the ICC along (with) the cricket boards of India, England and Australia must step in to protect the purest form of the game. History and tradition must count for something. If we stand by and allow profits to be the defining criteria, the legacy of (Sir Don) Bradman, (WG) Grace and (Sir Garfield) Sobers will be irrelevant," he wrote.

It's not the first time South Africa has prioritised its domestic T20 league over international cricket. Last year, they forfeited an ODI series in Australia to have their best players feature in that league.

"If the ICC or someone doesn't step in shortly then Test cricket doesn't become Test cricket because you're not testing yourself against the best players. I understand why players don't come. They're not getting paid properly.

"I don't understand why ICC or the top countries, who are making a lot of money, don't just have a regulation set fee for Test matches which is a premium, so people are incentivised to play Test cricket.

"Otherwise, they just play T10 or T20. The public are the ones who are going to suffers because it's not the full side playing, so it's not Test cricket," Waugh said.
With neither Pakistan nor the West Indies sending their full-strength teams to Australia for the Test series, Waugh fears the trend will continue.

"It's pretty obvious what the problem is. The West Indies aren't sending their full-strength side (to Australia this summer). They haven't picked a full-strength Test team for a couple of years now.

"Someone like Nicholas Pooran is really a Test batsman who doesn't play Test cricket. Jason Holder, probably their best player, is not playing now. Even Pakistan didn't send a full side (to Australia)," he added.

-With inputs from PTI