Australian spinner Jess Jonassen has expressed her disappointment at the ICC chairperson Greg Barclay's statement that 5-day women's Test cricket might not be a part of the landscape moving forward to any real extent.
Ever since India made a comeback to Test cricket last year, there have been calls for an increase in long-format games for women's cricket.
As of now, only Australian and England women play Test cricket regularly. And while the idea of having more fixtures for the extended format of the game is attractive, it may not be realistic.
Barclay reckoned it's not practically feasible to mainstream women's Test cricket to add 5-day Tests; a majority neither have the necessary grassroots infrastructure nor is it financially viable.
Speaking to BBC Test Match Special, Barclay said:
"To play Test cricket, you've got to have structures domestically that allow you to play long-form cricket, and they don't really exist in any of the countries at the moment, so I can't really see women's Test cricket or long-form cricket evolving at any particular speed at all,"
"That's not to say that those countries that choose to play Test cricket - Australia and England - who provide that to the women can't do so, but I don't see it as part of the landscape moving forward to any real extent at all," he added.
He further added that white-ball cricket is the way forward as far as popularizing and expanding women's cricket is concerned. He said "If you look at strategically the way that cricket is going, there's no doubt that white-ball cricket, short-form cricket, is the way of the future.
"That's the game that's sought after by fans, that's where the broadcasters are putting their resource, it's what's driving the money," Barclay said.
Reacting to the same, Australian cricketer, Jess Jonassen took to her Twitter to express her disappointment.
"Well, it won't without genuine support from the top. Disappointing to see these comments, the hunger and drive is here from multiple countries regardless of some significant hurdles that need to be overcome by some. It should never be solely about money," Jonassen said.
She added that the ICC should look beyond finance as the hunger and drive among women cricket across different nations is immense.
It will be interesting to see how the discussions surrounding 5-day Test cricket unfold in the coming days.