📉 The Shrinking Test Calendar for Smaller Nations Mathews’ concern is backed by stark numbers: Sri Lanka in 2025: ✅ Just 4 Tests – lowest in over a decade (excluding 2020) ✅ 12 Tests in the 2023–25 WTC cycle – joint lowest with Bangladesh In contrast, the Big Three in this WTC cycle: Australia: 22 Tests England: 21 Tests India: 18 Tests Other teams: South Africa: 13 West Indies: 13 Pakistan: 14 New Zealand: 14 This reveals a glaring imbalance in opportunities to play the longest format — which directly affects team rankings, player development, and fan interest. 🗣️ Mathews’ Key Quotes "It's quite sad, to be honest. The younger generation are urging for more Test cricket." "We have won World Cups... We deserve to play Test cricket, just like Australia, India, and England." His plea is not just nostalgic — it's a call for equity in a format that is already struggling to remain commercially viable in parts of the world. And he’s not alone: players from West Indies, New Zealand, and South Africa have echoed similar concerns. ⚖️ What’s Driving the Imbalance? Commercial Interest: Tests involving India, England, or Australia generate far more revenue through broadcast and gate receipts. T20 Leagues & Scheduling Conflicts: Bilateral Tests lose out in the cluttered calendar, especially for smaller boards. WTC Structure Flaws: Although the WTC was introduced to add meaning to Tests, it does not mandate equal matches per team, leading to disparities.