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West Indies all-rounder and former captain of the side Jason Holder believes that Test cricket will be in danger of becoming extinct if a major overhaul doesn’t take place soon.
West Indies are currently in Australia for an all-format tour that comprises of two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is.
In the first Test, played at the Adelaide Oval, there were no surprises as the Aussies put in a dominant display and beat the Windies by 10 wickets.
Surprisingly, Holder had opted out of the Test series in favour of playing the International League T20 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he will be representing Dubai Capitals.
It caused some people to scratch their heads and wonder what dynamics were at work when Holder was absent from the Test squad for the series against Australia.
Having been a captain in the past and an influential figure in West Indies cricket, Holder’s decisions about his international duties and ILT20 involvement have generated debate among supporters.
MORE: Usman Khawaja a doubt for the second Test against West Indies
What did Jason Holder say about Test cricket?
In an interview with Hindustan Times, the 32-year-old touched down upon a lot of topics.
The Barbadian all-rounder was asked about his decision to skip the Test series against Australia in order to participate in the ILT20, followed by what he thought the future held for Test cricket.
Here’s what Holder had to say:
Honestly, if we continue in this manner, Test cricket will die. It’s sad, but it’s true, based on the current structure. You’ve got the big three who practically command all the revenue regarding the disbursement of ICC funds. And it’s difficult for smaller territories such as the West Indies to compete.
We just don’t have the financial resources that they do. We’re struggling to even stay afloat in terms of cash flow. And it’s hard to develop our facilities and structures the way they’re meant to be. And with the little finances that we have… pretty much all the money we get goes straight back up into covering expenses and debt.
So, it’s a difficult one. The only way you can honestly see Test cricket being saved is… if you have a window for Test cricket in a year so that you can have your best players available to play there. And on top of that, you need to compensate players fairly.
It can’t be a situation where Australia and India are up there, and all the other teams are way, way down below. So, when you’ve got a situation — a dilemma — similar to mine, where you can play a Test series for X amount and a franchise for three times the amount, you will constantly have players going toward more money. If we could come up with a model where you can have a minimum wage where you can’t fall below a particular threshold, it would actually incentivise players to say, ‘Well, look, this is the benefit of me playing Test cricket’
What next for Jason Holder and West Indies?
Holder will be representing Dubai Capitals – the sister franchise of IPL team Delhi Capitals – at the 2024 ILT20. He can be seen in action against MI Emirates on Saturday (January 20).
West Indies, meanwhile, will hope to level the Test series and carry the momentum into the white-ball leg with them when they take the Kangaroos on in the second Test at The Gabba, Brisbane, on January 25.
