Idea to make Test Cricket more competitive

Idea: Instead of playing low-intensity practice games before a Test series—often against under-strength local sides—why not introduce structured warm-up matches against mapped Supporting Teams? These would be emerging Test nations located closest to the host country.

Each touring team could play 1–2 four-day Tests against the Supporting Team before the main series. This benefits both sides: the touring team adjusts to conditions under real match intensity, and the Supporting Team gains valuable exposure.

For instance, when India tours England, they could play Ireland in England as a warm-up. I’ve roughly tried mapping supporting countries based on proximity (might not be the best representation)

One open question: which team could be best suited as a Supporting Team for New Zealand?