For the main three countries to play each other more frequently in series like the recently finished Border-Gavaskar blockbuster, Australia (CA), England (ECB), India (BCCI), and Jay Shah, the new chair of the International Cricket Council, are negotiating to divide Test cricket into two divisions.
Later this month, Jay Shah, Mike Baird, the chair of Cricket Australia, and Richard Thompson, the chair of the England Cricket Board, will meet. Two people who are knowledgeable about the discussions claim that a two-tier Test cricket structure is firmly on the agenda. Massive crowds and television viewership for Australia’s five matches against India over the last two months.
The fourth-best attended series in this country’s history and reportedly the most-watched Test series ever—have further fueled their conversations. Any plans to switch to two divisions in Test cricket would begin in 2027, when the existing Future Tours Program comes to an end and Australia and England play their 150th anniversary Test match at the MCG.
Few Big Names In Support Of BCCI, ECB, CA & ICC
Numerous senior figures in and around the game have lately argued for more of the “best versus the best” in Test matches, including former India coach Ravi Shastri, who has complained of too much “clutter” in the current schedule.
“I’ve been a firm believer in that if you want Test cricket to survive and be alive and thriving, I think that’s the way to go,” Shastri said on SEN during the SCG Test. “The top teams play against each other more often, so there is a contest; you want contests.”
Australia, England, and India could reschedule their cycles to play each other twice every three years instead of twice every four years as they presently do if they were not required to play as many countries. This would result in a speedier financial cycle for the game in Australia, with only one year of potential “downside” in every four instead of the existing two-year cycle. In recent years, state associations have been pressuring CA for better allocations.
There are high chances that WI, BAN, ZIM, IRE & AFG would be demoted to the separate division. This can be a huge blow not only for Caribbean cricket but for the game of cricket. Despite Test cricket being the greatest format, the major attention is towards franchise leagues & T20Is which is a harsh reality. Perhaps viewership has become the sole reason for taking Test cricket ahead.
Where It All Started For BCCI, ECB and CA For This New Model
The quick expansion of Twenty20 franchise leagues and private ownership, which is increasing rivalry for players and calendar space, is something that India, England, and Australia are well aware of. At the SCG Test, the principals of the influential GMR Group—who own the Delhi Capitals in the IPL and recently acquired the Hampshire County Cricket Club—were in plain sight.
“It comes down to profitable cricket versus unprofitable cricket,” as reported on The Age
In 2016, the idea of two Test cricket divisions was first proposed at the ICC level. The proposal called for seven countries to compete in the top division and five in the second. But in the end, it was put on hold when the BCCI heard the objections of smaller countries, who claimed that the structure would diminish their hard-won right to join the select group of Test-playing nations.
The plan was supported by the boards of Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan, and the West Indies at the time, while it was opposed by the BCCI, Sri Lanka Cricket, the BCB, and Zimbabwe Cricket.
As reported on The Age, “The BCCI is against the two-tier Test system because the smaller countries will lose out and the BCCI wants to take care of them,” then-BCCI president Anurag Thakur said in 2016. “It is necessary to protect their interests. “In the two-tier system, they will lose out on a lot, including revenue and the opportunity to play against top teams. We don’t want that to happen. We want to work in the best interests of world cricket and that is why our team plays against all the countries.”
But now, eight years later, the major three boards are listening more and more to the money, and Disney Star, the Indian broadcaster, is noticing a widening divide between the flagship shows and others. Foxtel and Seven, two Australian broadcasters, are also excited about further India-England games.
“The more the better!” one senior broadcast figure said. Before his last term as BCCI secretary ended last year, Shah secured the backing of Australia and England to assume the role of ICC chair.
The present world Test championship, which has increased context and danger since its start in 2019, would only last for one more cycle if cricket’s structure were to change. England, in particular, has been criticizing it for a long time. Ben Stokes’ team has said that the WTC is too complicated to comprehend and penalizes teams that play more cricket. England has never come close to making it to the championship game.
“In all honesty, the world Test championship, it is a bit confusing,” Stokes said in New Zealand in November. “I don’t look at it … it’s a real weird one knowing that you’re playing for something over a long period of time.”