T20 test cricket

Commercial interests are hell-bent on killing test cricket, much to the chagrin of sporting purists who are already angered by the growing dominance of T20 and experiments with even shorter formats. The latest threat to the long form game comes in the form of the "Test 20" concept, which is effectively T20 cricket, but with two innings per side - like a test match - for a total of 80 overs per game.

This relentless pursuit of novelty threatens to relegate the revered tradition of Test cricket, and the entire skillset that goes with it, to an afterthought. Given the fact that several big names are already attached to the proposed Test 20 league, cricket's thought leaders and administrators who prioritise the spirit of the game rather than dollar bills must stop letting the calendar get further littered with the addition of new slogathon events to ensure that enough test cricket - and first-class cricket at the domestic level - can be played.

Cricket needs to be run by people who love the game, not the political power that comes with it. Unfortunately, the ICC is one of the most notorious offenders in all sports when it comes to selling out for a quick buck. Where Wimbledon has maintained its tradition of all-white clothing, even fining several legends for violations, cricket administrators keep changing uniforms to maximise replica kit sales. Meanwhile, FIFA's proposals to break 1994 World Cup football matches into quarters to increase potential ad revenue and use bigger goals to make games exciting were rejected on the spot by several national sides, because they would make a mockery of the game.

The ICC, on the other hand, has not even been averse to allowing ads to run between deliveries. When the game's sages hold such disdain for the spirit of the game, 'real' test cricket's days are surely numbered.