The International Cricket Council (ICC) is looking into creating a two-tier Test cricket system with the help of the cricket boards from India, Australia, and England. This plan is meant to make Test cricket more exciting by having tougher matches between the top three teams. The idea, which has been talked about since 2016, might be put into action after the current Future Tours Programme (FTP) ends in 2027.
ICC Chairman Jay Shah is likely to meet with Cricket Australia Chair Mike Baird and ECB Chair Richard Thompson to talk about the details of the proposal. This system would mean that England, Australia, and India would play more series that make the most money. Recently, Australia saw huge crowds for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, with 373,879 fans attending the MCG during the Boxing Day Test.
England is also expecting a financial boost this summer with five Tests against India. This is a change from the 2024 summer when crowd numbers were criticized during their series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka. The last day of the Sri Lanka Test at Lord’s, in particular, faced a lot of criticism.
What is the two-tier setup and how does it work?
The best cricket teams today, like India, Pakistan, Australia, England, South Africa, and New Zealand, will play against each other more often in the two-tier system. Teams that aren’t as strong in Test cricket, like Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Ireland, and Zimbabwe, would be placed in the second division of the format. The teams in the lower group will only play against each other, while the top teams will compete with each other.
π¨ πΉπ¬π·πΆπΉπ»πΊ π¨
A potential 2-tier Test cricket structure is in the works, with newly-elected ICC chairman Jay Shah leading the charge! π€
Top cricket boards from India, Australia, and England aim to host more marquee Test series, bringing exciting changes to the⦠pic.twitter.com/6wI82Wy3Na
— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) January 6, 2025
Possible teams in the two-tier structure
1st Division: South Africa, Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
2nd Division: West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe.
Read more: South Africa Hand Pakistan Whitewash After 10-Wicket Win in Cape Town
Jasir Basharat is a cricket enthusiast capturing the heart of the game through insightful analysis and storytelling sharing his passion for the sport through engaging narratives. He is a business graduate from University of Kashmir.
