Testing times

International cricket tends to pause at this time of the year to make way for the most lucrative and frenzied part of the cricketing calendar - the IPL.

Whilst the best players in the world take to the stage from Delhi to Chennai, it is difficult to make many headlines about the international game, particularly Test cricket which seems a world away from the glitz and glamour of India’s headline tournament.

South Africa won't have any Test matches at any of their iconic locations in the 2025/26 season

In recent weeks though, a couple of more notable articles have pushed in towards the bottom of some outlets.

Whilst the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Heinrich Klaasen are tearing it up for their franchises, news from back home was slightly starker. For the first time since international cricket returned to South Africa after apartheid, not a single home Test would be played in the 2025/26 season for the Proteas.

This was a shocking revelation for a side which has just qualified for the World Test Championship Final with one of the best red ball sides around at the moment.

Much has already been made at the lack of longer-format cricket that sides like South Africa are due to play in the next 12 to 18 months but this story does contextualise the uphill battle that teams outside of England, Australia and India face.

Better news was to follow as it was announced that South Africa would travel to Zimbabwe this June and July for a 2 Test series which was warmly welcomed. Zimbabwe themselves are no stranger to being left with limited opportunities to play red ball cricket. The Chevrons are set to play 8 Tests this year which marks a reversal of fortunes from even last year where they played just 2.

Back to South Africa and one of the major concerns for them is the lack of match practice they have and will have in advance of the WTC Final in June.

One team who could help them out with a slightly eased schedule this summer is another country whose Test fixtures made the news.

Like South Africa, Ireland will also not be hosting any Test cricket this summer. Unlike South Africa though, Ireland has a home fixture penned in before withdrawing it due to lack of funds.

A multi-format series against Afghanistan was shelved by Cricket Ireland due to lack of funds which was to include their only Test fixture of this summer. Whilst sad for Ireland cricket and their fans, there will be a lot of focus this summer on the new European T20 Premier League which is due to start in July. This comes after several false dawns Cricket Ireland will be keen to see succeed.

Similarly to South Africa though, this has come at an inopportune moment as Ireland have entered into a recent purple patch in Test form having won their last 3 matches following on from their first victory in the format against Afghanistan in 2024. There is a chance that Ireland will not play any Test cricket in 2025 and not until they face Bangladesh with the dates as yet unknown.

Ireland last played Test cricket in England in 2023 but could they do it again as the home team?

It does seem though that there could be a solution, albeit a small one, to both South Africa and Ireland’s Testing times.

A Test against one another.

After the news of their qualification for the final, there were murmurings in the South African camp that Ireland could provide a perfect opposition in preparation for the match against Australia at Lord’s.

From an Irish perspective, the chance to play a quality side like South Africa would be a great test of their mettle and provide much needed exposure to more Test cricket.

The financial difficulties of hosting any cricket are well known and it did lead to Afghanistan’s tour being cancelled. Despite this though, Ireland do have a history of finding neutral venues to play their ‘home’ games. In 2023, they played an ODI series against Bangladesh in Chelmsford and perhaps this could be a route around the unpredictable home constraints of hosting in Ireland.

With so much continued concern about how Test cricket survives, it feels as though there are sometimes simple solutions to the constraints of the modern game. This feels like one of them.

Players, coaches and teams regularly bemoan the crowded calendar to a point where it has become a cliche - but it’s understandably important. The players are assets that need looking after and not to be dredged completely until a husk once resembling a fast bowler is all that is left.

At the same time, protecting Test cricket is paramount.

A recent report by the The World Cricketers' Association pushed for the introduction of international windows to allow players the time to focus purely for their countries. It seems a shame, but is becoming ever more necessary. 

For now though, we’d love to see an Ireland v South Africa Test - for the good of the sport.