The success of the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 has laid the platform for bringing a big change in the cricket world.
Encouraged by the overwhelming success of the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the BCCI, the Cricket Australia (CA), and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are considering discussions with the ICC chairman Jay Shah about restructuring Test cricket into a two-tier system. The proposed format would allow the “big three” teams – India, Australia and England to face each other more frequently, enhancing the competitiveness and appeal of the format.
Reports indicate that Jay Shah will meet the CA chairman Mike Baird and the ECB chairman Richard Thompson later in January to deliberate on the idea of splitting Test cricket into divisions. An industry source suggested the motivation behind this move stems from the financial disparity in the sport, with the focus on distinguishing profitable cricket from less lucrative games.
India’s recent five-Test tour of Australia, which the hosts won by 3-1, broke crowd records and emerged as one of the most watched Test series in history. Currently, these three teams play bilateral series twice every four years but the proposed changes could increase that frequency to twice every three years. However, this potential shift could impact the ICC World Test Championship, introduced in 2019 to provide greater context to bilateral Test series.
The former India head coach Ravi Shastri has also voiced his support for a two-tier Test structure, citing overcrowded schedules and the need to maintain the quality of cricket. In his column for an Australian daily, he highlighted that record-breaking crowds reaffirm the enduring appeal of Test cricket when the top teams compete. He argued that a structured promotion and relegation system among 6-8 top teams would sustain interest and ensure high-quality contests.
This is not the first time cricket administrators have explored a tiered Test structure. A similar proposal in 2016 suggested dividing the top seven Test nations and the next five into separate tiers. However, opposition from smaller cricketing nations led to the plan being abandoned. Notably, the BCCI, which is now central to the discussions, was previously against the idea.
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