The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) proposal of four-day Test cricket is trending in world cricket. While many are not supporting this idea, some top sides are supporting it. Unlike his national cricket board, Proteas captain Faf du Plessis is not supporting this proposal.
ICC and big full members are busy to revive Test cricket as its popularity has gone down. Day/night pink-ball Test match, ICC World Test Championship etc. are the parts of this activity. While a couple of four-day Test matches have already been tested, ICC wants to introduce it in the future World Test Championship.
However, many former cricketers are not supporting the four-day Test cricket. But, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) are supporting this crucial change in Test cricket as they have already played it.
My opinion is that I am a fan of Test cricket going five days – Faf du Plessis
While CSA is backing the four-day Test, the South African captain Faf du Plessis is in the different line. Faf du Plessis has claimed that still some Tests are failing to produce result even at the end of the fifth day. So, the four-day Test match has no chance to produce the result in these matches.
Faf said, “I suppose you’ve got to ask CSA what their opinion is. My opinion is that I am a fan of Test cricket going five days. I understand that a lot of money is being burnt on five-day cricket because so many Test matches are not going five days. People will sit 50-50 on it. My personal opinion is that I am still a purist of the game because I have been part of some great draws that went five days. There would definitely not have been a result in four days on this surface.”
During 2017 Boxing Day, South Africa played the four-day Test match against Zimbabwe at Port Elizabeth where AB de Villiers was the Proteas captain after the captain Faf du Plessis was ruled out due to fitness issue. It was also the first day/night Test in South Africa while the Proteas side was playing their second day/night pink-ball Test and Zimbabwe were playing their maiden day/night pink-ball Test. The hosts South Africa won that Test match by an innings and 120 runs.