England batsman Jonny Bairstow says Test cricket helps players earn recognition

WELLINGTON: England wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow has called for preservation of Test cricket, saying a cricketer is remembered for the number of Tests he has played.

"It's the traditional game, it's like taking fifteens rugby away and just playing sevens rugby. It's something we've definitely got to cherish and play and I want to go on and play as many Tests as I can because you get remembered for how many Tests that you've played," ESPNcricinfo quoted Bairstow as saying.

Debates around the relevance the Test cricket have now become a regular occurrence as the T20I leagues have gained priority over other formats.

Bairstow's comments come just a day after James Anderson, England’s leading Test wicket-taker of all-time, expressed his fears for the future of the format.

Meanwhile, the right-handed batsman acknowledged the decisions made by Alex Hales and Adil Rashid of signing only white-ball contracts for the country.

"Test cricket is huge, and if we're not careful then there are going to be more and more people that do it [give up the red ball]," he said.

The 28-year-old added, "You've got lucrative tournaments around the world that people now can go off for five weeks and earn a heck of a lot of money for five weeks work when the strain and stress on the body of bowling fours overs comparatively to bowling 24 overs in a day in Test cricket. So whatever way it is we can preserve Test cricket and go forward with that is really important."

Recently, England skipper Eoin Morgan and batting all-rounder Mooen Ali also expressed their worries for the purest form of cricket.