Hope that senior cricketers promote Test cricket: Steve Waugh

Former Australian skipper Steve Waugh has become the latest legend who has voiced his concerns about the dying art of Test cricket. Apart from the film – Death of a Gentleman, many current, as well as former players, have voiced their concerns regarding the survival of Test cricket. However, the outcome of the same has been the arrival of the Day-Night Test matches as well as the renaissance of the pink ball.

Waugh, a veteran of over a 100 Test matches has stated that playing Test cricket in other nations is not as hyped as much as playing the game in the iconic baggy green cap. Waugh also added that it was important for the senior cricketers in respective countries to promote Test cricket.

“The incentive to become great Test match cricketers is not as great as it is in Australia,” Waugh told News Ltd on Tuesday (July 26). “We have to hope senior cricketers in each country keep promoting Test cricket.

“Australian players still always talk about the baggy green cap and playing for their country and the responsibility rests with senior players in every country (to do the same.)”

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The 51-year old added that T20 cricket and the huge cash incentives the West Indies team receive are enough to pry them away from the longest format of the game.

“There is a danger there because obviously the Windies are fantastic at T20 and young kids see that. They see they can make a lot of money,” he said.

“The West Indies got into a bit of trouble when Chris Gayle, who was a great Test player, said his priority was T20, then other senior players say the same thing, young kids hear it and all of a sudden the focus is on T20.”

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