Angelo Mathews, a Sri Lankan legend, is receiving his deserving flowers as his retirement Test match approaches. Mathews is calling time on his Test career this week, but not without saying something that’s been on his mind—and on the minds of many from the so-called “smaller” cricketing nations. While he prepares for his farewell match in Galle, the veteran Sri Lankan all-rounder has made a quiet but pointed plea: let us play more Test cricket.
More Test cricket outside ‘Big 3’?
Mathews kept the big three – India, Australia and England – as examples. Obviously, it is quite “sad”, as Mathews suggests that a potent team like Sri Lanka are scheduled to play just four Tests this year. This would be their lowest tally since 2013, keeping away Covid-ridden aside. Compare it to someone like India, who are playing five red-ball games in their next series against England alone.
“I think it’s quite sad to be honest,” Mathews said in a pre-match press conference before his retirement Test. “I mean, the younger generation are urging for more Test cricket. Test cricket is obviously the pinnacle of cricket. We all should push for more Tests. These guys are so enthusiastic about Test cricket.
“I feel there has to be a minimum of 10 matches at least [in a year]. Teams like England, India or Australia are playing 15-plus games a year. Why can’t we play? We can. If we keep pushing, I mean, we have to. We have won World Cups. We have done so much for cricket as a nation, and we deserve to play Test cricket, just like Australia, India and England.”
His plea totally makes sense and also points out flaws in the current World Test Championship (WTC) system. As a matter of fact, Sri Lanka will play just 12 Tests in the upcoming WTC cycle (2025-2027), the joint-fewest alongside Bangladesh. Meanwhile, champions South Africa also plays just 14. Compare it to Australi and England, who both will turn up 22 and 21 times, respectively.
Complete WTC 2025-27 Cycle Schedule
| Team | Total Matches | Home/Away Breakdown |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 22 | vs England (5), New Zealand (4), Bangladesh (2) – Away – West Indies (3), South Africa (3), India (5) |
| Bangladesh | 12 | vs Pakistan (2), West Indies (2), England (2) – Away –Sri Lanka (2), South Africa (2), Australia (2) |
| England | 21 | vs Pakistan (2), West Indies (2), England (2) – Away – Sri Lanka (2), South Africa (2), Australia (2) |
| India | 18 | vs West Indies (2), South Africa (2), Australia (5) – Away – England (5), Sri Lanka (2), New Zealand (2) |
| New Zealand | 16 | vs West Indies (3), India (2), Sri Lanka (2) – Away – England (3), Australia (4), Pakistan (2) |
| Pakistan | 13 | vs South Africa (2), Sri Lanka (2), New Zealand (2) – Away – Bangladesh (2), West Indies (2), England (3) |
| South Africa | 14 | vs Australia (3), Bangladesh (2), England (3) – Away – Pakistan (2), India (2), Sri Lanka (2) |
| Sri Lanka | 12 | vs Bangladesh (2), India (2), South Africa (2) – Away – West Indies (2), Pakistan (2), New Zealand (2) |
| West Indies | 14 | vs Australia (3), Sri Lanka (2), Pakistan (2) – Away – India (2), New Zealand (3), Bangladesh (2) |
