Last Updated on 11 seconds ago by Charbel Coorey
The ICC and member boards are discussing the future of Test cricket and its expansion to more teams. Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive Todd Greenberg suggested a 12-team World Test Championship (WTC) could be on the cards in the next cycle.
The scheduling process is being accompanied by discussions around the WTC as boards and the ICC are presently working on the next Future Tours Programme (FTP). A model is proposed for presentation for the 2029-2031 WTC cycle.
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Since the WTC began in 2019, nine teams have been involved in each cycle, playing six Test series each, with three at home and three away. There could also be one-off tests counting toward the Championship to bring in Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan.
Todd Greenberg: “The whole reciprocal thing could potentially bankrupt some countries.”
Greenberg believes the ICC could approve the 12-team model for the next WTC cycle as it seeks to give more Test-playing nations a pathway into the competition.
“I think that’s what will happen for the next two years. I think for the next iteration, I can understand why it is that number because they want to give every Test nation the opportunity,” he told reporters in Durban ahead of Australia’s opening Test against South Africa.
Greenberg, however, cautioned that the future of Test cricket could be difficult for a number of countries due to the financial burden of maintaining a strong red-ball structure.
“When I said that, it wasn’t very popular but I still say it’s a statement of fact that over time it’s getting more and more difficult for countries to play Test cricket because it is so expensive,” Greenberg said.
“I think there is a world where there will be member nations who don’t play Test cricket, or they might have to play more away Test cricket than they do at home to be able to keep Test cricket in their country and keep playing that format. I think we have to think differently about it. The whole reciprocal thing could potentially bankrupt some countries.”
The proposed expansion is expected to be discussed at the ICC meeting next month in Bali. One of the main issues will be finding a way to include Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan in the WTC without adding further pressure to the international calendar.
Greenberg also said Australia would be keen to host South Africa for a five-Test series in the future. But the problem of finding the time to play remains, with both countries having significant home seasons at similar times of the year. “We would love to have South Africa come for a five-test series,” said Greenberg, as quoted by Cricinfo.
Australia has also eyed Pakistan as a possible opponent for a long Test series due to the strong Pakistani expat community in the country. Pakistan is next due to tour Australia in December 2027 for three Tests and will then visit Sri Lanka in February 2028.
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