While the West Indies scrambles to revive its once-dominant Test side, Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg has delivered a blunt warning: some nations simply can’t afford to keep playing the sport’s longest format.

Speaking 100 days before the Ashes series against England, Greenberg argued that scarcity — not saturation — is the key to keeping Test cricket meaningful.

“I don’t think everyone in world cricket needs to aspire to play Test cricket, and that might be OK,” he told Australian media. “We’re literally trying to send countries bankrupt if we force them to keep playing it.”

Twelve full ICC members are currently eligible for Test matches, but the format is increasingly overshadowed by one-day internationals and the TV-friendly Twenty20, spearheaded by the money-spinning Indian Premier League.

Greenberg stressed that the Ashes thrives because it still “means something” — a factor he believes should guide future scheduling. Suggestions for a two-tier Test system have been floated to bridge the gap between cricket’s haves and have-nots.

The warning comes as West Indies cricket reels from a humiliating collapse — just 27 runs in their second innings against Australia, narrowly avoiding the all-time record low. The defeat triggered a two-day crisis summit in the Caribbean, attended by legends Brian Lara and Clive Lloyd, to plot a path back to relevance.

Lara admitted the revival will be slow: “It’s a long road… it’s not just about the 27 runs. We’ve got to address these situations quickly if we want to be competitive again.”

Greenberg, however, fears for the survival of some teams in the red-ball arena: “A lot of traditionalists might not like that, but the reality is, Test cricket might not be sustainable for everyone.”