Australian cricket legend Steve Waugh on Monday slammed the selection of an inexperienced Proteas squad set to face New Zealand in a two-Test series in February.
The 14-player squad features seven new caps, including Neil Brand who is set to skipper the side.
The squad could not draw on any regular Proteas players as they are all contracted to play in the SA20 by Cricket SA (CSA).
“Obviously they [CSA] don’t care,” Waugh told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Lack of respect for New Zealand
“If I was New Zealand I wouldn’t even play the series. I don’t know why they’re even playing. Why would you when it shows a lack of respect for New Zealand cricket?”
The squad will depart for New Zealand on 19 January.
Waugh, 58, said the problem of weak Test teams is not limited to only South Africa.
“it’s pretty obvious what the problem is.”
“The West Indies aren’t sending their full-strength side [to Australia this summer]. They haven’t picked a full-strength Test team for a couple of years now.
“Someone like Nicholas Pooran is really a Test batsman who doesn’t play Test cricket. Jason Holder, probably their best player, is not playing now.
“Even Pakistan didn’t send a full side [to Australia for the current Test series].
“If the ICC or someone doesn’t step in shortly then Test cricket doesn’t become Test cricket because you’re not testing yourself against the best players.”
The ICC could also do more to ensure the future of Test cricket, the veteran of 168 Test matches suggested.
“I don’t understand why the ICC or the top countries who are making a lot of money don’t just have a regulation set fee for Test matches which is a premium, so people are incentivised to play Test cricket. Otherwise they just play T10 or T20.
“The public are the ones who are going to suffer because it’s not the full side playing, so it’s not Test cricket.”