AB de Villiers ‘not happy’ with short India-South Africa Test series

CAPE TOWN (Agencies) : Former South African captain AB de Villiers has expressed disappointment over South Africa and India playing a Test series featuring only two matches, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

South Africa thumped India by an innings and 32 runs in Centurion during the first Test, however, the visiting team made a resounding comeback in the Cape Town Test, registering a seven-wicket victory on the second day to level the series.

AB de Villiers took to his YouTube channel and voiced his displeasure over the absence of a Third Test while blaming T20 cricket for it.

“I am not happy that there is not a third Test. You have to blame the T20 cricket going around the world for that,” he said in a video on his YouTube channel.

“I do not know whom to blame, but I 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.”

De Villiers also expressed his concern for the future of Test cricket, accepting the fact that players choose T20 cricket over Test cricket because of financial gains.

“It (South Africa’s Test squad for New Zealand) 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.”

Notably, South Africa recently announced an inexperienced squad, featuring seven uncapped players for the two-match Test series against New Zealand, commencing from February 4, 2024.

South Africa named uncapped batter Neil Brand as the captain for the New Zealand tour which will be played at the same time as the SA20 league, featuring the frontline Proteas players.