Angelo Mathews’ plea to preserve future of Test cricket
Sri Lanka faces an alarmingly sparse Test schedule, with only four matches in 2025 and six in 2026. This decline in opportunities highlights a worrying shift in priorities, with Test cricket seemingly sidelined in favour of shorter, more commercially lucrative formats. Mathews, a stalwart of Sri Lankan cricket, voiced his frustration while emphasising the importance of Test cricket for the sport’s legacy.
The current schedule paints a grim picture. Sri Lanka begins 2025 with a two-Test series against Australia, critical for their hopes of reaching the final of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. However, this is followed by a five-month drought before another two-Test series against Bangladesh. After that, their next Test assignment isn’t until mid-2026—a gap that risks disrupting team momentum and player development.
In 2026, Sri Lanka has just three series — two Tests each against the West Indies in June, India in August, and Pakistan in October and November. Such infrequent fixtures highlight the marginalisation of Test cricket for nations outside the dominant trio of India, Australia, and England.
At 37, Mathews is nearing the end of an illustrious career, but the lack of Test opportunities dims his hopes of becoming the third Sri Lankan to reach 10,000 Test runs. Only Kumar Sangakkara (12400) and Mahela Jayawardena (11814) have scored more Test runs than Mathews, who after 116 matches and 206 innings has scored 8042 runs at 44.92 with 16 centuries and 44 half-tons.With 1958 runs still required, Mathews now faces an uphill battle to achieve this milestone.
“It’s very disappointing not to get that many Tests,” he said.“It’s really disheartening to wait a year between Tests. Cricket is about rhythm, and such long breaks disrupt everything, affecting players’ careers. I hope ICC and SLC will look into this and work out a much more fairer scheduling.”
Dimuth Karunaratne, the former Test skipper, will make his 100th appearance in Galle during the Australian series but whether he could continue to play beyond the Bangladesh series remains uncertain as the window is too long for a player who only appears for the country in the longer format (even though, like Mathews, he desires to join the 10,000-run club). The 36 year-old opener has scored 7165 runs in 98 games so far.
“I haven’t given up hopes of getting their (10,000 runs) but it all depend on my form and fitness. But this lack of Test matches isn’t helping me,” he said.
This scheduling crisis also jeopardises the development of young cricketers. Without sufficient exposure to Test cricket, players miss out on honing their endurance, tactical skills, and mental resilience that define the format. The rise of franchise leagues and the emphasis on shorter formats risk producing a generation ill-equipped for the rigours of Test cricket.
Mathews’ plea resonates beyond Sri Lanka, serving as a wake-up call for the global cricketing community. Test cricket, often hailed as the pinnacle of the sport, faces existential threats from the dominance of limited-over formats and the rapid expansion of T20 leagues. The ICC’s role in ensuring a more equitable distribution of Test matches is pivotal to preserving the game’s soul.
The veteran cricketer’s appeal underscores the urgency of the situation. Test cricket has given the sport its most iconic moments and remains the ultimate test of a player’s skill and character. Yet its survival depends on meaningful action from cricket boards and stakeholders to balance commercial interests with preserving the format’s heritage.
Despite the challenges, Mathews also remains optimistic about Sri Lanka’s WTC aspirations. A 2-0 victory against Australia in their upcoming series could secure Sri Lanka a maiden WTC final appearance—provided other results align.
“We have two games left, and we’re determined to give it our all against the Aussies and finish the series on a high note. We’ve performed exceptionally well in this WTC cycle, which is why we’re still in contention for the final. If we had managed to win just one game in South Africa, our position would have been much stronger. Regardless of the outcome in Sydney, where India faces Australia in their final Test, our focus remains on securing a 2-0 victory at home against Australia,” Mathews stated.
With five wins and six defeats, Sri Lanka stands in fifth place, praying that India will bounce back to level the series 2-2 in Sydney in the ongoing final match of the Border-Gavaskar Series. An Australian win will crash Sri Lanka’s hopes of getting into the final but strong 2-0 win will give them a chance to finish among the top three in the table, an achievement that shows Sri Lanka’s strong performance in the current cycle.