Is this the death of Test cricket?

A lot has been said about Cricket South Africa’s decision not to release first-choice players for the Test series against New Zealand, in order to focus on the SA20 competition.

Now, for the first time, we can see the repercussions. And it’s not pretty.

The question has already been asked: Could this be the beginning of the end for Test cricket? The nasty answer: Yes.

With a depleted team featuring six uncapped players, the Proteas were completely crushed by their hosts who dominated with bat and ball over the first couple of days of the first match at Mount Maunganui.

There was always hope that the new-look Proteas would be able to at least put up a fight, and while it is still possible for them to shine in the two-match Test series, the vast difference between the the two sides is clearly evident.

Without the experience required to deliver under pressure, the SA team have displayed vulnerability in key moments. And at the highest level of any sport, it’s those pressure moments that count the most.

What has made the annihilation even harder to bear is the fact that a handful of experienced players, including the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Kyle Verreynne, are no longer even playing in the SA20 competition because their teams have been eliminated.

However, no matter how much purists might prefer Test cricket to other formats, the reality is that the five-day game is just not as attractive to most fans, as evidenced by the popularity of T20 leagues around the world.

As a big money puller for the sport, CSA doesn’t have much choice but to focus on the short format of it wants to attract spectators and sponsors. And as the federation has proved, it will sacrifice the Test team to do it.

Unless the International Cricket Council can find a way to protect the format with strict window periods in the global fixtures list, it is likely that Test matches are going to have to take a back seat.

Other countries are going to find themselves facing the same conundrum and it could well result in the death of Test cricket.