“You have to blame T20 cricket worldwide for that”: De Villiers on India-SA series featuring two Tests

Legendary South African batter AB De Villiers expressed disappointment over the fact that the India-South Africa Test series featured only just two matches and Proteas is sending a second-string team for a long-format series against New Zealand, saying that Test cricket is under pressure.

India and South Africa recently concluded their Test series, ending in a 1-1 draw. While India lost the first Test by an innings and 32 runs, they made a comeback to seal a seven-wicket win in a match at Cape Town which lasted just two days. India ended the SA tour without losing in any format, registering 2-1 series wins in ODIs and T20Is, with several youngsters performing well.

The Test series drew criticism from fans and cricketers for featuring only two matches.
On his YouTube channel, De Villiers said, “I am not happy with the fact that there is not a third Test. You have to blame the T20 cricket going around the world for that. I do not know exactly whom to blame but I definitely sense something is wrong. If you want to see all the teams compete and see who is the best Test team in the world, something has to change.”

On the Proteas’ selection for the New Zealand tour, consisting of two Tests, which coincide with the second season of SA20 from January 10 to February 10, the former batter said that Test cricket is under pressure and the system is turning towards T20 cricket.

Proteas named a 14-player squad for their two-match Test series against New Zealand next month. Uncapped batter Neil Brand has been named as the skipper along with six uncapped players in the squad. The changes have been imposed due to the SA20 and the Test series being held simultaneously where most of the contracted Test players will feature. The first Test will start from February 4 while the second Test from February 13 onwards.

“It has sent shockwaves around the cricketing world and has made it clear that Test cricket is under pressure, for that matter even ODI cricket and the whole system is turning around T20 cricket. The players, the board and coaches will turn towards where there is more money. You cannot blame them for thinking about their future with their family. That is ultimately what it comes down to,” he said.

Talking about the pitch at Cape Town for the second Test against India, De Villiers said, “It (Cape Town) was a pretty stock-standard wicket in my opinion. I remember jumping around there on Day 1. If you can just get through the first session on Day 1, it gets easier. If you see the players who were playing their shots and not hanging around, they were the ones doing well.”

“I remember Ben Stokes scoring a double hundred there. I myself scored some hundreds there. You cannot allow bowlers like Vernon Philander, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada to keep bowling on off-stump,” he concluded.