Mark Boucher Concerned For Test Cricket Amid Rise Of T20 Leagues

Mark Boucher, the outgoing South Africa coach, acknowledges he is worried about the declining quantity of Test cricket being played and thinks recent outcomes demonstrate the format has adjusted to the contemporary game that values entertainment above grit.

Following his team’s 1-2 loss to England in their Test series, Boucher stated on Monday that he will leave his position as head coach following the next Twenty20 World Cup in Australia.

In order to create room on the schedule for their new domestic T20 league, Cricket South Africa CEO Pholetsi Moseki told ESPNcricinfo that South Africa would play a reduced number of 28 Tests over the course of the upcoming four-year cycle. 

To Lose Sight Of Test Cricket And Lose Games Is Not Great: Mark Boucher

This is a small amount of matches compared to England’s 43 Tests over that time, Australia’s 40, and India’s 38, and it won’t help develop players for the five-day format.

“To lose sight of Test cricket and lose games is not great,” Boucher told reporters.

“I’m a purist. I love Test cricket to bits. It’s the purest form of the game and one that we really need to look after.

The heads in the game need to get together and find a way to play more Test cricket. It’s exciting, especially with the way the games are being played now. It’s very seldom that you have draws.

The game’s moved forward, maybe because of T20 cricket. Guys are playing shots they would never usually play. It’s attacking and it’s a nice game to watch. So the more we see it, the better it will be for everyone.”

This Is Not An Academy Of Learning, This Is Test Cricket: Mark Boucher

Although Boucher believes that England’s aggressive “Bazball” approach may be the future of Test cricket, it won’t be effective against every opposition and under all circumstances.

 “It’s one thing to say to guys to go out there and play with freedom but there are consequences when they are fighting for their Test spots and fighting for their careers,” Mark Boucher said. 

“It’s a fine line as a coach because a guy comes in and you don’t want to change him. This is not an academy of learning. This is Test cricket.

We give the players freedom to play, to express themselves. Each and every guy. The way that England would like to go out and play, you need to have the characters to do that.

“A lot of their guys are good white-ball cricketers as well.” 

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