(Cricket News) AB de Villiers has expressed dissatisfaction with the shortening of Test series, particularly citing the recently concluded two Tests between India and South Africa.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, de Villiers, who represented the Proteas in 114 Tests, emphasized the need for changes in order for the longest format to thrive. He stated, “I am not happy that there is not a third Test. You have to blame the T20 cricket going around the world for that. 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.”

Cricket South Africa faced scrutiny when they announced a second-string squad for the three-Test series in New Zealand in February, with the majority of their players committed to participating in the SA20 League starting on Wednesday, January 10. De Villiers commented on this development, saying, “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.”

Regarding the Cape Town pitch, de Villiers defended the Newlands Test match surface that led to the game’s completion within five sessions. He described it as a “pretty stock-standard wicket” and recalled his experiences of batting on it, mentioning that if batsmen could navigate the challenges of the first session on day one, the conditions tended to get easier. He also highlighted the importance of aggressive shot-making against quality bowlers like Vernon Philander, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Kagiso Rabada.

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