Test cricket can’t be a cash cow, need to change our perception: Kumar Sangakkara

Kumar Sangakkara, the president of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) mentioned that looking at Test cricket from the point of view of financial gains may never work out. Over the last few years, the longest format has said to be falling behind owing to the glitz and glamour of T20 cricket. It’s a reason why pink-ball Tests under floodlights came to the fore back in 2015.

Sangakkara, who’s also a former Sri Lankan cricketer, said that people need to change their perception about the purest format of the sport. The veteran understands that every Test series, like the Ashes, can’t generate enough buzz. He also reckons that teams like Ireland, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Bangladesh have to play Tests to develop themselves.

We need to change how we look at Test cricket: Kumar Sangakkara

“If you are going to treat Test cricket as a cash cow I don’t think it is ever going to work. It’s not going to make financial sense,”  Sangakkara was quoted as saying to Michael Atherton, the former England captain, in a video uploaded on Sky Sports Cricket Youtube Channel.

“Sometimes Test cricket isn’t going to make sporting sense if you are going to market it to an American or someone who has not been involved in the game. Rather than trying to change their sense of Test cricket maybe we need to change how we look at Test cricket. Not everyone is going to have an iconic series like the Ashes with full crowd,” he stated.

“Talk about how to build up the rivalries. Then what about Afghanistan and Zimbabwe and Ireland now… and Bangladesh who are the team on the rise but in the shorter formats,” he added.

The ICC Test championship started last year with India currently on top of the ladder with Australia closing in. But the tournament has been halted due to the coronavirus pandemic across the globe. England’s series against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh’s series against Australia had to be shelved.

However, the format is set to make a comeback in July with the series between England and the West Indies. Pakistan are scheduled to play three Tests on English soil, starting July 30 at the Lord’s