Two-tier Test system, my foot

hhhhhmmmmm....so these countries are manipulating the Ranking system ! 

The two-tier system does not intend to shaft the lower ranked teams. People must understand the difference. Upcoming Associate teams right now have got no way to play competitive long form cricket, and this move will give them something to aim for. Plus no team should take Test status for granted like they are doing it right now; atleast such a system will motivate teams like West Indies and Zimbabwe to pay more attention to Test cricket.

Yes, this is wrong but also right. Like the two sides of a coin it has both its pros and cons. I know it is not right to isolate and shaft teams like West Indies and NZ, especially WI with its long history. But this also gives the associate nations like Ireland, scotland, UAE to aim for something. They have never played a Test Match with the top 10 nations. That is why many players like Rahul Dravid are supporting it.

I think money motivates a large majority of players these days. IMO, higher wages along with increased gates and revenues from Test matches would go a long way to motivating players to play Test cricket. Players earn far more money playing T20 tournaments as opposed to the long arduous grind of Test match cricket. England and Australia being the exception to the rule.

Test cricket was once the most prestigious form of the game. If you wanted to see the games best players, your only option was the Test arena. Today, we have T20 tournaments taking place virtually every month of the year. As such, players are far more motivated to show up for a month and earn a good living.

With T20 tournaments, teams change on a year to year basis, resulting in parity and a greater competitive balance. Players don't suffer from year in, year out losing streaks, which can be demoralizing. With Test cricket, when you are bad, you are generally bad for a long period as it takes more than just one superstar to break that chain.

I think a two tier system can help to re-invigorate crowds, each game means something, but I am not sure if that is enough for players to turn down lucrative T20 contracts.

The rich have started to get richer. The effects of the restructuring decision at the ICC two years ago has widened the the gap between rich and poor in cricket. The poor are struggling to invest in their players - both in terms of financially and developmentally. We have seen this play out over the last year with the West Indian situation at the forefront of it. West Indies players can earn three or four times the money playing T20 cricket, and there is less strain on the body. It is only human nature to want that.

India is at the forefront and it will happen ....  I don't believe ENG and AUS are as manipulative !!!