After the introduction of Twenty20, Test cricket has become less popular around the world.

Twenty20 cricket provides an action-packed atmosphere on the ground and usually attracts crowds. Many cricketers around the world have turned to T20 cricket in a bid to prolong their careers and pocket millions of dollars.

T20 leagues have become a lucrative business, organised in all cricket-playing countries as well some others.

To be fit for the leagues, a large number of players around the world have been quitting Test cricket. It allows them to make more money in a short time.

In December 2018, Pakistan opener Mohammad Hafeez quit Test cricket after the third Test against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi. “I feel time is up for Test cricket,” said Hafeez. But he said he has no plan to retire from limited overs cricket.

In July this year, Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir announced his retirement from Test cricket “so I can concentrate on white ball cricket”.

Amir’s decision to leave Test cricket at the young age of 27 has been widely criticised by former cricketers.

Within a month of Amir’s announcement, pacer Wahab Riaz also announced retirement from Test cricket.

Former captain Wasim Akram and former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar criticised the fast bowlers’ decision. Shoaib said that it was time for Amir to pay back to Pakistan after spot-fixing ban.

Former Australian captains Greg Chappell and Ricky Ponting have criticised Twenty20 cricket, saying it is damaging Test cricket and affecting batsmen’s patience and concentration levels. They fear that young players will play too much T20 and thus not develop their batting skills fully.

Former West Indies greats Clive Lloyd, Michael Holding and Garfield Sobers also say that T20 cricket is discouraging players from representing their national side in Test cricket.

In May 2018, former South Africa Test captain AB de Villiers announced his retirement from international cricket.

South African cricket board convener of selectors Linda Zondi alleged that de Villiers preferred T20 leagues over representing South Africa.

AB de Villiers replied that there are big tournaments going on around the world at the moment and some of them could not be ignored by the players because financially they make a huge difference in their lives.

In August this year, South African fast bowler Dale Steyn opted to quit the longest format of the game in order to prolong his limited overs career. Steyn acknowledged that Test cricket is the best version of this game. But to ensure “longevity” in the sport, he decided to focus on ODIs and T20Is “for the rest of my career”.

Earlier this year, South African fast bowler Duanne Olivier also quit Tests at the age of just 26 to sign a three-year deal at Yorkshire. “My decision might be difficult for some to understand but being a professional cricket player is a short-lived career and in order for me to make the most of all my opportunities, I had to consider all my options,” he said. Yorkshire offered him up to £150,000 per season.

West Indian cricketers Chris Gayle, Sunil Narine and Dwayne Bravo also prefer T20 leagues over playing for West Indies to make money.

These are the reasons that the Pakistani players want to appear in every Twenty20 league while they complain about too many international assignments even though they are getting handsome amounts from the board after signing central contracts, receiving millions as match fees, daily allowance and winning bonuses.

The PCB should take notice of the players’ engagements in T20 leagues abroad. They are our national assets and the board is paying them salary and other benefits. It also incurs heavy expenditure for their treatment when they are injured. But when the team needs a 100 percent fit player he is not available for the national side.

Many Pakistani cricketers don’t take part in domestic cricket for “personal reasons” but always remain available for money-making matches abroad, even in non-Test playing countries.

According to PCB policy, centrally contracted players are allowed to participate in two leagues in a cricket season while the non-contracted players are bound to play at least three domestic first-class matches for them to be entitled to receive the NOC. Retired players do not need any NOC from PCB. But as per ICC’s rule they are bound to obtain an NOC from PCB for two years from the date of their retirement.

On the other hand, if any Indian player wants to play in a foreign tournament anywhere in the world, he must get an NOC from the Indian board, but the BCCI has refused all NOC applications as BCCI does not want players to play in other leagues.

Injuries of players are a common phenomenon and excessive cricket increase the chances of injury. Players are human beings after all and need rest.

These days cricket is played throughout the year with short breaks due to which the injury ratio has increased.

But the promises of huge sums of money make it difficult for players to resist such offers. When they’re not on national duty they can do as they please. Nobody can force them to put more burden on their already weary bodies, but it is the players themselves who are to be blamed. If the money on offer is good enough they would be willing to go wherever and whenever their sponsors want them to go. So there’s no point in complaining about too much cricket.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should make a policy for their cricketers that if a player quit Test cricket without management permission he will not be considered for ODIs and T20Is, so that cricketers think twice before announcing sudden retirement from Test cricket for the sake of money.

khurrams87@yahoo.com