Former Australia captain Steve Waugh has hit out at the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Cricket South Africa for not caring about Test cricket after the South African board named a depleted Proteas red-ball squad for the New Zealand tour, prioritising its T20 league over the longest format.

The CSA has named a second-string Test squad which comprises seven uncapped players, including a new captain, for next month’s two-Test series against New Zealand. The top South African cricketers are contracted to play in the second season of the SA20 — the T20 league launched by CSA and the Indian Premier League franchises — which clashes with the tour.

According to a CSA ruling, no player contracted to SA20 franchises is eligible for selection for the Tests.

“Obviously, they don’t care. It’s going to happen if the South African cricket board is any indication of the future, keeping its best players at home,” Waugh told The Sydney Morning Hearld.

“If I were New Zealand, I wouldn’t even play the series. I don’t know why they’re even playing. Why would you when it shows a lack of respect for New Zealand cricket?”

Initially, Waugh had taken to Instagram to raise his concern. “Is this a defining moment in the death of Test cricket? Surely the ICC along (with) the cricket boards of India, England and Australia must step in to protect the purest form of the game.

“History and tradition must count for something. If we stand by and allow profits to be the defining criteria, the legacy of (Sir Don) Bradman, (WG) Grace and (Sir Garfield) Sobers will be irrelevant,” Waugh, one of Australia’s most successful captains, wrote.

It’s not the first time South Africa has prioritised its domestic T20 league over international cricket. In 2022, in order to have their best players feature in that league, they forfeited an ODI series in Australia that formed a part of the direct-qualification pathway for the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.

Back in March 2022, South Africa had fielded a weakened side for the two home Tests against Bangladesh as some of their regulars had preferred to play in the IPL.

“If the ICC or someone doesn’t step in shortly, then Test cricket doesn’t become Test cricket because you’re not testing yourself against the best players. I understand why players don’t come. They’re not getting paid properly.

“But I don’t understand why the ICC or the top countries, who are making a lot of money, don’t just have a regulation set fee for Test matches which is a premium, so that people are incentivised to play Test cricket.”

With neither Pakistan nor the West Indies sending their full-strength teams to Australia for the Tests, Waugh fears the trend will continue.