Rameez Raja urges the ICC to assign a two-month period for Test cricket

Former Pakistan international Rameez Raja is concerned about the perspective of Test cricket in the upcoming years. The active commentator has asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to allow a two-month period or ‘window’ for the longest format of the game every year, which will prevent its downfall.

Though Test cricket remains a popular event in countries such as England, the 54-year-old Raja pointed out that the craze is significantly going down in Asia. The high-intensity T20 leagues which are hugely entertaining from the first ball to the last ball such as the Indian Premier League can be considered as the reason behind the same, says Raja.

What Raja had to say:

“I feel that the ICC has a decent plan in the shape of the World Test Championship,” said Raja after a committee meeting at Lord’s on Tuesday.

“There should be a window for that and everything else should stop for a period of two months so the best players are available to play Test cricket.”

He added: “It’s got to get better. In Asia, for example, because of poor Test match scheduling, the interest is dwindling.

“When you go back home you are never sure if you are going to have a one-Test series, a two-Test series or whether you are going to have a Test series at all.”

According to Rameez Raja, the powerhouses in the likes of the BCCI and the PCB are also partly responsible for the lack of enthusiasm for Tests in the countries.

“You have to acknowledge and respect the status of Test match cricket and it has to come from the cricket boards, in Asia specifically.

“For example, MS Dhoni retired from Test cricket yet got the A-grade contract from the BCCI, Shahid Afridi retired from Test cricket yet got the A-grade contract from PCB.

“It is under a lot of stress in Asia but if we have a properly planned Test match championship, that’s the way out of this, otherwise we will be struggling to put aside as much money as is available for the T20 leagues,” Raja added.

However, members of the MCC World Cricket Committee, Sourav Ganguly, Kumar Sangakkara, Brendon McCullum and Ricky Ponting have opposed the decision of reducing Test matches to a 4-day affair to make it more fan friendly. Rameez Raja is also a part of the committee which is comprised of some of the stalwarts of the game.

“Last time we met, the committee was split, with some believing we should trial four-day Test matches,” said outgoing chairman Mike Brearley, the former England captain.

“This time, most of us thought, looking at the fact that over half the matches that got results last year got results in the fifth day, that we didn’t want Test cricket to become more boring. So from a cricket point of view, we believe they should stay five days.”

The committee has also asked the International Cricket Council to force the issue of including cricket in the 2024 Olympics as soon as possible.