Test cricket won't die in my lifetime but who'll be playing it, asks Ian Chappell

Ian Chappell is certain Test cricket "won't die" in his lifetime but wondered whether the best players would play it in the future amid the proliferation of T20 leagues. The former Australia captain believed that international cricket faces a real challenge of retaining players in the face of rapid expansion of T20 leagues around the world. "(Test cricket) won't die in my lifetime.

But who'll be playing it? That's the big question," Chappell was quoted as saying by 'Wide World of Sports'. "If you haven't got your best players, is Test cricket worth watching? The answer is probably no. Test cricket is a good game, but it's got to be well played," he added.

Chappell also spoke about the issue of Chris Lynn seeking a No-objection Certificate (NOC) from Cricket Australia to play in the UAE's ILT20. Lynn has registered himself as a marquee player in the ILT20 but will require a No-objection Certificate (NOC) from CA to play in the league, something he may not get as the Australian cricket board also runs the Big Bash League at the same time. Chappell said if he were at Lynn's place he would take CA to court in the event he is not given an NOC.

"To me, you then go back to the World Series Cricket days, where they took the board to court over restraint of trade. Is it a restraint of trade? "In Chris Lynn's case, if he hasn't got a contract with Cricket Australia or Cricket Queensland, what's to stop him? If I was Chris Lynn and I wanted to play in the UAE I'd take them to court. I don't think Cricket Australia would have a hope in hell.

"It's got to be a restraint of trade. You're not contracting him, but you're not letting him play either," Chappell said. Coming back to the challenge cricket is facing, Chappell felt the