Andrew Strauss: Future of cricket 'not all doom and gloom' amid concerns about player workload and scheduling

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Sir Andrew Strauss says it is "not all doom and gloom" amid concerns about the future of Test cricket and player fatigue.

England men will play 43 Tests between 2023 and 2027 as part of the Future Tours Programme.

Test captain Ben Stokes has been one of several players to voice concerns about the scheduling demands.

"We can talk ourselves into a horrible spot if we allow ourselves to," Strauss told BBC Test Match Special.

"It is not all doom and gloom. There is so much good about the game of cricket."

Former director of English cricket Strauss is leading a high-performance review into the future of the game at elite level.

"It is hard on the players workload-wise, but what we are seeing is more and more specialist one format players," he added.

"In a lot of ways there is a huge amount to celebrate and we should keep conscious of that, despite all the difficulties around it."

'Hundred & Test cricket can survive side by side'

Strauss chaired the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) cricket committee following the disastrous Ashes tour of Australia during the winter.

The committee recommended a full independent review into the domestic English game, which Strauss has led.

The 45-year-old said the review is at a "consultation stage" and the group hope to be able to put proposals forward in a month.

"There's a lot of white ball cricket but that doesn't mean we can't improve the standard or make sure the domestic cricket we play mirrors as closely as possible the international cricket we play," he said.

"The counties will vote on whatever schedule we have, but our job is to put options on front of them.

"And hopefully we get a new domestic structure that's cleaner, more simple and is encouraging better quality, more intense cricket.

"You are not going to please everyone, but you have to get people's heart and minds. People need to want to do this and not feel obligated."

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Strauss said the Hundred - the controversial new white-ball tournament in England and Wales - needs to be "the best tournament it can possibly be" to engage a new audience.

"We have to balance that with what is my favourite format: Test cricket," he said.

"But that is not the whole cricket audience, it is only part of it and I think the two can survive side by side. However, not without some rough patches along the way."

International schedule 'one big Rubik's cube'

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England will play 43 Tests over four years as part of the Men's Future Tours Programme

England, as part of the new Future Tours Programme, will play Australia and India in two five-match series during that time and will feature in three more Tests than any other nation.

Stokes previously said his retirement from one-day international cricket should be a wake-up call for the authorities.

New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult was released from his New Zealand contract last week in order to spend more time with his family and play in domestic leagues around the world.

Strauss said it is down to cricket administrators to get the right balance between all three formats of the game.

"We know it is demanding and it takes a lot out of them," Strauss said.

"In many parts of the world T20 cricket is what pays for Test cricket to be played. We need the two to stand side by side.

"I still think the players feel it [Test cricket] is the ultimate format of the game. The international schedule is not dissimilar to the domestic schedule.

"It is one great big Rubik's cube and if change one thing is changes something else."

Players, fans and commentators will wear red on Thursday at Lord's to raise funds for the Ruth Strauss Foundation, which Strauss established after the death of his wife in 2018.

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