There are real fears that Australian cricketers will take T20 money for the chance to don the baggy green, while other countries could stop playing the long form of the sport entirely.
While spectators at Test matches continue to decline, T20 cricket continues to rise globally.
It received the seal of approval from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to be part of the Los Angeles Games in 2028, while the International League T20 in the United Arab Emirates became the last major money tournament in an already cluttered calendar.
Major League Cricket was also launched in the United States, supported by Microsoft and Adobe. However, it is the wave of franchise T20 cricket that could drive the final nail in Test cricket.
Sparse crowds begin to plague cricket in Australia, with Marnus Labuschagne pictured in front of empty seats against South Africa in January 2023
Nathan Lyon took his milestone 500th Test wicket in front of empty seats at Optus Stadium in Perth against Pakistan in the first Test
South Africa have also struggled to attract crowds for their Boxing Day Test blockbuster against India – which they won
The owners of eight of the 10 Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises also own at least one team in another foreign league, and that number is set to increase in the coming years.
It would create a situation where players would have to choose between T20 riches or representing their country, with no room in the schedule to do both.
That would mean only the most financially viable Test nations would be left standing, potentially meaning only Australia, England and India will play the five-day match in the near future.
It's not fear-mongering or exaggeration, it's a real fear, Australian Cricketer's Association's Todd Greenberg said.
“My message is: we are under pressure,” he said News Corp.
'Pressure can be a good thing because it will increase all our chances and make us the best we can be, but other countries are really struggling.
'And we can't play against ourselves. So I'd like to think that in ten years Test cricket will be more than just Australia, England and India.
“We want to ensure that Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand and others can continue to play against us.
'I fear that in ten years' time, countries like South Africa and New Zealand may no longer be able to afford to see their best players playing and disappearing due to the pressure and pull of global competitions.
“So that's a concern. And I don't think I'm an alarmist. I think I'm a realist.'
Australian Cricketers Association boss Todd Greenberg, pictured with his wife Lisa, believes Australia should help contending nations stay relevant in Test cricket
Currently, Australia has seen the likes of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and even famed short-form specialist Glenn Maxwell eschew the riches of franchise cricket to focus on their country.
But with gun players refusing to play for their country in other countries, Greenberg is aware that the situation in Australia could change very quickly.
“We're already seeing countries around the world and especially in New Zealand and South Africa where that's already happening,” he said.
“And so my message is: It's not happening here right now, and it may not feel like it's going to happen here right now, but it is happening in other countries in our sport.
'So we would be crazy not to think that that pressure will not be exerted on us at some point. So we need to have this conversation now. Make sure we're ready,” Greenberg said.
Major League Cricket in the United States is the latest T20 competition to appear on an already cluttered calendar
The IPL continues to go from strength to strength and now franchises want to own international clubs – which could mean players being contracted all year round
Greenberg is not the only cricketing identity to warn of the death of Test cricket.
English cricket icon David 'Bumble' Lloyd said the death of Test cricket would happen within a decade in 2022.
'Where will they put it? There is no room for Test cricket as we know it, and I suspect that in the future we will only see the iconic series: such as the Ashes, England vs West Indies and England vs India,” he wrote for Sportsmail.
England cricket coach Brendon McCullum, who has been Bazball's architect in a bid to revive Test cricket, also previously warned that the long format of the game was at risk if England were not competitive.
“Test cricket has always been the highlight for me,” he said in an interview with the ECB. “But its popularity has swung somewhat south lately.
“So if Test cricket is to not only survive but thrive, England needs an attractive cricket brand that can compete with Australia, India and New Zealand.