Kevin Pietersen: "We need to look at playing more day-night Tests"

The former England batsman outlines his plan to save Test cricket

Kevin Pietersen has outlined how he would save Test cricket.

This comes after England's recent tour of South Africa.

“I was incredibly surprised to see how busy the stadiums were for the T20s because I just didn’t think the support for cricket in South Africa was that good." Pietersen told Betway.

“But if it hadn’t have been for the Barmy Army, the grounds for the Test matches would have been empty so it came as a pleasant shock.

“That tells me that we have to try our hardest to get Test match cricket back to where it belongs. We’ve got to make sure that players are committed to Test match and that all the youngsters are wanting to play Test match cricket.”

The former England batsman has a number of suggestions for how the ICC can preserve the longer format.

“It’s the role of the ICC to sort out ticket prices so that people can afford to come. The ICC have got a hell of a lot of money and so have lots of the boards.

“I think the players need to be paid a hell of a lot more, because the lure of the quick dollar in T20 cricket is attracting a lot of youngsters.

“If those youngsters can see that the best players in the world are being paid the most money to play Test match cricket then people might start changing their ambitions.”

Pietersen also questioned the start times of Test matches.

“We need to look at playing a lot more day-night Tests so that people can finish work and come to the ground.

“As one of the best players in the world you want to play in front of full houses, and they don’t get to do that at the moment.

“Specific Test matches like Newlands, or Melbourne and Sydney are OK and in England Test cricket is supported really well. But look at all other Tests. The Johannesburg match was poorly supported as people are working and can’t watch the cricket.

“With day-night cricket you can bring the kinds in for the second session, you ca have fireworks, music and entertainment, and the players would need to adapt. They’ve got names and numbers on their shirts, and they’ve proved they can play at night with the pink ball.

“Pay the players more and play matches at a better time then everybody will commit to the format much more.”