Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes the future of Test cricket depends on making first-class cricket appealing enough for young players to pursue. Speaking at the Cricinfo Honours Awards 2026, Ashwin argued that the challenge of preserving red-ball cricket extends far beyond India and is an issue faced by the global game.His comments come at a time when India’s Test side is enduring a difficult phase. Consecutive home whitewash defeats to New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa in 2025 have raised serious concerns about the team’s performance in the longest format. The loss to New Zealand was particularly significant as it ended India’s 12-year unbeaten streak at home. Apart from a hard-earned 2-2 series draw in England, India have struggled to find consistency in Test cricket over the last two years.The downturn has coincided with the exits of several stalwarts. Ashwin himself, along with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara, has stepped away from the format, leaving the team in a rebuilding phase under the leadership of Shubman Gill.Speaking after being named among the top 25 cricketers of this century, Ashwin highlighted the need to make domestic red-ball cricket more rewarding for aspiring players.“First-class cricket needs to be attractive enough for players to take up. The BCCI has made an attempt by revamping the salary structure, but I don’t think Test cricket is just India’s problem, it is a global one. Are players being incentivised enough to take up the red-ball game?.”Ashwin noted that the demands of Test cricket go well beyond what fans see on the field. The physical and mental strain of playing five-day matches, combined with extensive travel and the constant need for recovery, can make the format a challenging career choice.“That is a tough proposition when players can play for a couple of months and pretty much earn a good living. That said, having played Test cricket and put my body on the line, I can say that nothing compares to the feeling at the end of a hard-fought Test match. Nothing can replace it. And if you are serious about Test cricket, young cricketers should be groomed by slightly old-fashioned coaches,” he signed off.Ashwin retired as one of India’s most accomplished Test cricketers. In 106 Tests, he scored 3,503 runs at an average of 25.75, including six centuries and 14 half-centuries, with a highest score of 124. With the ball, he claimed 537 wickets at an average of 24.00, registering 37 five-wicket hauls and eight ten-wicket match hauls.He remains India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket and is widely regarded as one of the finest spinners the country has produced.