In India, the economic powerhouse of world cricket, TV ratings for Test matches slumped 38 per cent between 2012 and 2015. Ratings for one-day internationals remained the same and Twenty20 ratings rose 228 per cent. Over this period, India have played against all of the major cricketing nations except Pakistan – with some brilliant performances at home – but the Test format is still not exciting the fans. Let's look at social media. There are more than 750 million Facebook users in India and more than 130 million Twitter followers. When Virat Kohli makes a 50 for Bangalore or India in Twenty20 cricket, social media impressions are 10 times more than when he makes a 50 for India in Test cricket. This indicates the youth are not interested in the longer format. In Pakistan, while there is negligible interest in Test matches, the Pakistan Super League T20 finals received phenomenal TV ratings of 70 per cent. Essentially, Asian fans are not entertained by Test cricket. When one of the world's best batsmen, AB de Villiers, makes two runs off 80 balls in a Test match, what do you think the kids will do with the remote? No doubt they would prefer to watch him smash 50 off 18 balls in an Indian Premier League match, and that's reflected in the ratings.

So if the fans are not interested, are the players? Is the Test format fun to play? If you had a secret questionnaire for all of the players within Asia and asked which format is more fun to play, Tests or T20s, I believe the majority would say T20. The West Indians are already saying that, with six of their best players preferring to play Big Bash League than Test cricket last summer. Windies players get paid the same fee for a T20 game as for a Test. One is three hours long while the other is 30 hours long. I remember Don Bradman's quote: "We are only the beneficiaries of the game, whilst the players are the trustees of the game." If the players don't want to play Test cricket, then surely the Test format will die. What motivates the player of today? How does playing for his country rate against the prospect of massive dollars playing T20? If it's not the money that's so appealing to players, is it the style of the game, the packed houses and all of T20's trimmings? The Board of Control for Cricket in India understands the biggest problem in the sport is the lack of interest in Test cricket. The BCCI has already acted, doubling the wages for Test players. They are trying to find a solution to Test cricket's woes, but are struggling. Many within the BCCI have conservative opinions on the pink ball and day-night Tests. They are not supportive of the proposed two-tier Test format. They are worried about Test cricket's future but distracted by the Lodha committee's reforms of the game in India. There is no doubt something within Test cricket stinks. It simply is not entertaining enough to catch the viewer's eye. Sure we are trying pink balls and day-night Tests, which have been popular. Market research indicates ratings will increase a further 23 per cent, but will the colour of the ball and the new premium time slot generate interest among the public? I feel it will help in the short-term, but not overall.

The fans of today are mindful of being entertained. They want quality cricket with something on it. Many of these meaningless Test series amount to nothing. And let's be honest: some of the lower teams in the world are playing very average cricket. It is time for change. By 2025 half of India's population will be 25 years old or younger, that is 750 million people. This trend is similar to the population demographics in Bangladesh and Pakistan. The ICC should be worried that the youth only want to play and watch T20 cricket. It's got the razzmatazz, the money and the excitement that everyone loves. The future of Test cricket will depend on our heads of cricket knowing their market and applying proper strategies. Funnily enough, that is how T20 cricket was invented. In 2001, England and Wales Cricket Board marketing manager Stuart Robertson realised county cricket was in decline. He went to the market and discovered the public wanted a shorter form of the game and thus came up with the T20 concept. I can hear many people say Test cricket will always survive. Well, when the best players leave Test cricket to play T20, which is already happening, this will leave us with mediocre Tests. The families of today are mindful on what they spend on entertainment. The fans will not spend their hard-earned dollars to watch mediocre players for five long days. Test cricket needs to become more exciting, it needs more marketing and it must give the fans what they want. If we continue down the current track, sadly the game will be done before you know it.

We need all countries to get together to offer solutions to save this great game.