Test cricket under pressure from T20s, says AB de Villiers

'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.'

South Africa's batting great AB de Villiers is clearly disappointed that the ever-growing popularity of T20 Cricket is putting Test cricket 'under pressure'.

The recently-concluded South Africa versus India Test series was restricted to just two matches, while the Proteas picked a second-string team for the Test series in New Zealand as it clashes with their IPL-style SA20 T20 league which runs from January 10 to February 10.

Even though de Villiers was renowned for his dazzling strokeplay in white ball cricket, he also made a mark in Tests with 8765 runs in 114 Tests at an average of 50. The South Africa, who holds the record for the fastest fifty and century in ODIs, is unhappy that the administrators are not giving importance to Test cricket.

"I am not happy with the fact that there is not a third Test. You have to blame the T20 cricket going around the world for that. I do not know exactly whom to blame but I definitely 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 said on his YouTube channel.

India's two-Test series in South Africa ended in an exciting 1-1 draw with the fans along with former and current players left wondering as to why such a high-profile series didn't have a series-deciding third match.

South Africa further came under a lot of criticism for sending a second-string team to New Zealand for a two-Test series in February as it clashes with their SA20 league. Uncapped batter Neil Brand has been named as the skipper along with six uncapped players in the 14-member squad.

De Villiers believes the huge amount of 'money' offered in T20 cricket has forced the cricket board, players and coaches to turn their back on Tests and ODIs.

"It 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. That is ultimately what it comes down to," he said.

He also slammed the pitch used for the second and final Test between India and South Africa in Cape Town recently with the match finishing inside two days on a lively pitch where a record 23 wickets fell on the openijng day.

"It was a pretty stock-standard wicket in my opinion. I remember jumping around there on Day 1. If you can just get through the first session on Day 1, it gets easier. If you see the players who were playing their shots and not hanging around, they were the ones doing well,' he said.

• India's tour of South Africa