I read Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg’s comments this week on the state of Test cricket — and look, I appreciate the honesty. He’s not wrong when he says it’s under threat. He’s not wrong when he says we need to think smart.

But there’s a line in there that stuck with me: “I don’t think everyone in world cricket needs to aspire to play Test cricket, and that might be OK…literally we’re trying to send countries bankrupt if we force them to try to play Test cricket”.

Here’s the thing — if that’s the fear, then we’ve already missed the point. The solution to saving Test cricket isn’t to scale it down to three or four rich countries. It’s to lift the rest up. Help them. Grow the game. Back them.

This is where real leadership starts — not by pulling up the ladder, but by building a stronger base.

Because let’s be clear: these nations want to play Test cricket. The players want it. The fans want it. So why are we making it so hard?

I’ve been to countries where cricket isn’t backed by billion-dollar TV deals — but the passion is still there. Kids in the streets. While stadiums aren’t always packed, viewership is high when the big teams play these teams. There’s national pride in every ball bowled.

Don’t tell me that doesn’t matter. What they lack isn’t commitment — it’s support. And if the ICC and the so-called ‘big three’ want to protect the future, they need to stop hoarding the privilege and start sharing the responsibility.

We talk about “meaningful” Test matches. Well, meaning doesn’t come from a marketing department — it comes from what it represents. A Sri Lanka v Pakistan series might not break streaming records, but to the players, the fans and the groundsmen who spend months preparing that pitch — it means everything.

You don’t preserve that by cutting it off. You preserve it by investing in it and teaching how to build on that with infrastructure and facilities and grassroots cricket.

Greenberg says we need smarter scheduling, better planning, and long-term context. Again, true. But those words need action.

I don’t have all the answers, that’s not in my pay grade, but I can say from an ex-player’s point of view that we need as many countries playing Test cricket as possible. If it wasn’t for Test cricket and its initial financial support, we don’t see Twenty20 cricket like it is today.

The big three — India, England and Australia — have the money, the reach, the leverage. So don’t just dominate the schedule — shape it.

Use that power to guide, not gatekeep. Help other boards build their infrastructure, improve training facilities, boost grassroots pathways, and get their players proper contracts. Help them turn one good series into long-term growth.

I know they have tried financially, but maybe what’s needed is physical support in showing other countries how to do it. That’s how you protect Test cricket.

Imagine the West Indies being backed properly to turn Trinidad or Guyana into a fortress again. Imagine Afghanistan, with their fearless young quicks and spinners, getting more than just the odd Test every year or two. We say it’s too hard, too expensive — but are we actively trying or just happy to allow T20 cricket to be the boss?

And while we’re here — let’s talk about the irony of cost. Everyone keeps saying Test cricket is too expensive to put on. But there’s no shortage of money when it comes to building new T20 leagues.

The money’s there. It’s just being pointed the wrong way. South Africa, the current world Test champions, have not fixtured a single Test match this home summer.

If you really care about Test cricket, you don’t start by telling the smaller boards to play less of it. You start by helping them play more — the right way, with the right structures. You treat them like partners, not liabilities.

And no, it’s not about handing out blank cheques. It’s about guidance. Strategy. Maybe even some hard truths. If you’re going to host a big Test series, put a percentage of the revenue back into pathways, coaching, and local facilities.

Use the moment to grow your game. That’s what Australia and England have been doing for decades. Pass that knowledge on.

Because here’s the reality: if we only leave Test cricket to the wealthy, it dies a slow death. Fans see through that. Players lose hope. And one by one, countries quietly drift towards the formats that pay quicker and hurt less. West Indies cricket has been an example of this.

But Test cricket is supposed to hurt. It’s supposed to demand more. That’s the beauty of it. You don’t earn a baggy green or a Test cap because you’ve bowled four overs, including a couple in the powerplay.

You earn it over years — through bruises, setbacks, second-innings spells in 40C heat when your body says no and your heart says yes.

And that feeling isn’t exclusive to Australia or India or England. It lives in the soul of every young cricketer from all parts of the world. The only difference is opportunity.

So when Greenberg says we need to protect Test cricket, I agree. But the best way to protect something isn’t to shrink it or spin it. It’s to believe in it. Back it. Invest in it. Help it grow.

Players in all countries still dream of playing for five days in whites for their country. Don’t leave them behind.