ANDREW STRAUSS is aiming to restore excitement to Test cricket and defend its position as the most important format of the game despite growing competition from the popularity of Twenty20.

The England captain has always been an ardent fan of the longest form of the game and was mildly critical of West Indies’ decision to allow captain Chris Gayle to delay his arrival on English soil from Indian Premier League (IPL) commitments until just two days before the opening Test at Lord’s.

It prompted Gayle to claim he “wouldn’t be so sad” if Test cricket made way for Twenty20 cricket as the dominant force and asked Strauss to “stay out of (other) people’s business”, during an interview with the Guardian.

Gayle has since claimed his comments were misinterpreted, but it did not stop Strauss offering another loyal defence of Test cricket as he prepared to lead England into today’s second Test at Chester-le-Street.

“I think Test cricket is slightly vulnerable at the moment,” conceded Strauss. “If you look at the security situation around the world, IPL is obviously a way of getting a lot of players together in one spot and from the sound of things it’s been a very successful format.

“It’s under pressure and it’s important we play good Test cricket to make people aware of what a good format it is and how entertaining it can be.

“There are a lot of areas where we can probably improve on things, but from a players’ point of view we need to provide that entertainment in the longer form of the game and that means playing good, aggressive, positive cricket more often than not.”

Some series clearly sell themselves and the first four days of every Ashes Test this summer are almost sold out, but Strauss believes Test cricket could still help itself as it battles for recognition against the glitz of the IPL.

England are rumoured to be considering staging the first day-night Test at Lord’s next summer against Bangladesh to stimulate interest, and Strauss conceded that cricket’s administrators may have taken Test cricket for granted as Twenty20 has grown in popularity.

“I think it’s something that can probably be marketed better,” he said. “An Ashes series is always going to provide a huge amount of interest around this country, but we need to get more people watching Test cricket and maybe not just the same people that watch it every year.

“Maybe we need to find people that don’t necessarily have access to Test match tickets and get them involved, give them the opportunity to watch.

“On the back of that we’ll probably get more people playing the game and enjoying the subtleties of Test cricket, which I think makes it a better format to play in and also a format you can nurture. Your interest and love for the game can be nurtured and grown.”

He stressed: “I believe very strongly that Test cricket should continue to be the number one format of the game. It’s the only game that tests out your temperament, your technique, your hunger, your bravery and all those aspects of the game.”

If two more combustible characters were involved, the two captains could quickly become embroiled in a war of words but Strauss claimed their relationship has not been affected as they prepare for the second Test.

“We haven’t been sat in the bar telling tales of our lives, but whenever we see each other our relationship’s been pretty good,” said Strauss.

“I’ve had no problems with him up to now, and if he’s uncomfortable with what’s gone on in the last couple of weeks then that’s an issue for him rather than myself.”

England are expected to name an unchanged side in their final Test appearance before the start of the Ashes.