ICC cricket committee member Mahela Jayawardene backs five-day Tests

Jayawardene and the rest of the cricket committee will meet in Dubai at the end of March, with the topic of reducing Test lengths to four days among those up for debate

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ICC cricket committee member Mahela Jayawardene is the latest big name to lend his support to five-day Tests.

Jayawardene and the rest of the cricket committee will meet in Dubai at the end of March, with the topic of reducing Test lengths to four days among those up for debate.

While a handful of influential current and retired cricketers have backed the proposal, there has also been an outpouring of opposition, including comments from Indian superstars Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.

Former Sri Lanka captain Jayadwardene has now joined them, telling PTI: "We will discuss it in the meeting, and I don't know what will happen after that but my personal opinion is that it should remain five days.

"I would not want any change."

Cricket Australia and the ECB have both indicated their support of the widescale introduction of four-day Tests within the newly formed World Test Championship.

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CA chief executive Kevin Roberts said last month that the concept is an innovation worthy of consideration and "perhaps it is more likely than not in the mid-term future", while the ECB confirmed recently that they are "definite proponents of the four-day Test concept, but cautiously so, as we understand it's an emotive topic for players, fans and others who have concerns about challenging the heritage of Test cricket."

Four-day Tests were initially introduced in 2017, and South Africa, Zimbabwe, England and Ireland have so far trialled the format.

On Tuesday, the Daily Mail reported that Cricket South Africa would oppose mandatory four-day cricket at Test level.

CSA subsequently released a statement confirming their support for four-day Tests, without touching on their views on the duration becoming compulsory for all nations in all series.

Kohli, the world's most famous current cricketer, has placed his weight firmly behind the status quo.

He said prior to the T20 series between India and Sri Lanka: "Four-day Tests? Look, I'm not a fan of [it]."

"I think the intent will not be right then because then you will speak of three-day Tests, where do you end? Then you speak of Test cricket disappearing. I don't endorse that at all."

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