Last Updated on 1 year by Charbel Coorey

Cricket News: The sad fact about the 2023-25 World Test Championship | A look at the 2023-25 WTC table in March 2024

Australia’s thrilling three-wicket win over New Zealand in Christchurch has given Pat Cummins’ side a firmer hold on second position in the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) table. India hold top spot after a 4-1 series win over England took them to a win percentage of 68.51.

However, the table presents the current reality of Test cricket. While fans have been blessed to have witnessed multiple thrilling Test matches in 2024 alone, there is no hiding from the fact three teams dominate the landscape too much for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to ignore.

As of 11 March 2024, India, England and Australia have played 31 Tests between them. The others? Just 23 combined. New Zealand have played the most with six, followed by Pakistan with five, West Indies and South Africa with four, and Bangladesh and Sri Lanka with two.

It begs the question of where the format is heading, especially as it is not financially viable for the majority of Test nations.

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Australia, England, India play the majority of matches in the 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle

The 2023-25 cycle began with the Ashes, and then India hosted England for five Tests. Australia will host India for five Tests at the end of 2024 and start of 2025.

Just recently, South Africa sent a significantly under-strength squad to New Zealand with their first-choice players involved in the lucrative SA20 tournament that is crucial to the board’s finances. The Proteas have a number of talented players fans aren’t given the privilege of watching in Tests regularly, as is the case with other nations, where we now hope we see as much of the brilliant Shamar Joseph with the red ball as possible.

“I dare say the West Indies need to be invited to these geographies to play because a Test match in the West Indies today is a dead-rubber unless it’s against India, England or Australia where we get revenues from television,” said former Cricket West Indies CEO David Cameron.

With regards to the ICC, the WTC concept is one that adds context to the Test format. Also, there is a lucrative mace to be won at the end of each cycle. However, as things stand, there is a risk of Tests being played among a few nations in the future.

According to a future of cricket poll by CricBlog, 42.1% of the nearly 5,000 respondents said Tests will be played by a maximum of six countries in the next 10-15 years. Also, three-quarters predict that IPL franchise owners will hold more power over multiple cricket boards.

A strong, competitive landscape adds so much more for Test cricket. However, much has to be done to get there.

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