'I can’t begrudge any player for making financial decisions to secure their future' - Brian Lara speaks on dying scope of Test cricket

As cricket fans gear up for the West Indies tour of Australia, legendary batter Brian Lara has highlighted the need for a broader perspective on Test cricket, urging fans and cricketing boards to extend their focus beyond the traditional powerhouses of India, Australia, and England.

Speaking from Australia, where he is part of the commentary and broadcasting team for the upcoming series, Lara expressed concerns about the current state of red-ball cricket. In an interview, he emphasized the importance of preserving the essence of the longest format of the game.

Lara sympathized with players who opt for domestic T20 leagues to secure their financial future, acknowledging the challenges they face in making career decisions.

“I can’t begrudge any player for making financial decisions to secure their future,” Lara told The Age. However, he also stressed the necessity of finding a balance where the prosperity of international cricket extends beyond the 'Big Three.'

Drawing attention to South Africa's recent Test squad selection for their tour of New Zealand, which includes many unfamiliar faces due to the absence of key players, Lara underscored the need to avoid limiting Test cricket to a select few nations.

“You want your best team playing international cricket. South Africa will have their reasons, but when I did look at the team, there was not one name that I knew. It is a very compact schedule, trying to force all three forms of the game in,” he was quoted as saying.

It is something I don’t want to see die: Lara

Reflecting on the golden era of West Indies cricket in the 1970s and '80s, the 54-year-old nostalgically recalled the team's frequent tours to Australia and England, where they were considered the team to beat. He expressed hope that other cricketing nations, including West Indies, Pakistan, New Zealand, and South Africa, could regain the significance they once held in the traditional format of the game.

“Back in those days, the halcyon days of West Indies cricket in the 1970s and ’80s, we were almost in Australia or England every other year, and we were the fancied team to tour around the world,” the Trinidadian said.

“As someone who has played Test cricket, the love I have for the game, it is something I don’t want to see die. I’m hoping that we can find a way outside that triangle of nations of India, Australia, and England to bring back importance to West Indies, Pakistan, New Zealand and South Africa,” he concluded.