Stick To Cricket: Why is Michael Hussey worried about the future of Test cricket?

• Michael Hussey wants Joe Root to score a couple of big hundreds.

• Tensions are high before the pink ball game.

• Does the future of Test cricket look uncertain? 

• Watch the latest episode of Stick to Cricket now!

Betfair and The Overlap proudly present "Stick to Cricket," a captivating new show featuring renowned England cricket legends Michael Vaughan, Sir Alastair Cook, David 'Bumble' Lloyd, and Phil 'Tuffers' Tufnell.

The weekly show offers insights and discussions, with special guests joining the cricket icons to delve into the sport's hottest topics.

Ahead of the second test, Michael Vaughan, Phil Tufnell and guest Michael Hussey discuss Joe Root, preparation and the future of test cricket.

I'd like to see Joe Root score 100 in Australia

Michael Hussey: "I love them both Steve Smith and Joe Root. I haven't had enough time with Joe Root yet, but for who is the better player I've got to go with Steve Smith, of course.

I do love Joe Root too, I'd actually really like to see him score 100 in Australia. I mean, in my view, he's one of the greatest and he might even become THE greatest if he passes Sachin. 

I'd like to see him be able to say he's dominated all around the world as well. It's the one place he has left. He still scored runs here and he still looked good. But I just think for his own legacy, it'd be nice for him to score a couple of big hundreds here.

A couple of big hundreds and an England win, that would be great."

Professionalism and the pink ball game

When discussing the upcoming second Test, Vaughan says: "I just don't think England have given themselves the best chance. They've had two days of test match cricket and have three days off which they didn't put in the budget. The next test is a pink ball game where Australia have only ever lost one pink ball test match.

Mitchell Starc has just got 10 wickets here and is a wizard with the pink ball. Am I so old-school to suggest that by playing a game of pink ball cricket to prepare yourselves to play a pink ball game is professionalism?

I feel that if they don't play in that game, there'll be four or five players that will arrive at The Gabba to play a pink ball game for the first time in their career. That can't be right."

I'm worried about the future of Test cricket

Looking to the future of the sport in general, Hussey states "I am worried about Test cricket.

I think it's going to come down to the players' appetite for Test cricket in the future. I think thankfully in England, Australia, and India in particular, there's still an appetite for the best format of the game. 

It's the biggest challenge. It's probably where you get the most respect from your peers if you can perform in Test match cricket. I'm hearing from a lot of players that they've no appetite to play Test cricket. It's too hard on the body.

They don't get paid enough in certain parts of the world. They can go off and play these T20 leagues around the world and get paid ten times as much for half the effort. So that's where I'm concerned, but I think it would come down to the appetite of the players at the end of the day.

It can't just be India, Australia and England. We need other countries to be strong as well. I hope it doesn't go down this path, but I'm sort of wondering if it'll be in the future where you might play for, let's say, the Chennai Super Kings.

They own a team in the Indian Premier League, they own a South African League, they might own a Hundred team, they might own one in the UAE and they might sign you up and you play for the Chennai Super Kings and you play in all these leagues around the world and then every now and then you come back and play for your country, maybe in a World Cup. 

A bit more like a football mentality. You play for Manchester United and when there's an international window you might come back and play for your country. I hope it doesn't go down that way. I would hope that playing for your country is the number one and the pinnacle, and Test cricket is the number one. But that's why I'm a bit fearful for the future.

What if Mumbai Indians came to Jofra Archer and said, 'OK, we'll give you a hundred million dollars or pounds. You come and play for all our teams around the world. OK, you can't play for England all the time, but mate, for a World Cup we'll let you go and play for England.' It's a pretty big decision to make."

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