Boards mull Test overhaul

One prefers an elite group with the ‘Big Four’ and the rest at a lower level, while the other idea is to have 10 teams on board — top eight qualifying automatically and the other two coming through play-offs. The first idea doesn’t have too much clarity about promotion and relegation and whether the teams outside the top rung could rub shoulders with the elites. Still, this possibility cannot completely be ruled out. The second idea sounds more feasible with top eight teams in the ICC rankings automatically making the grade and two other teams joining them through play-offs.

If this format is agreed upon, then it might pave the way for associate members like Ireland and Afghanistan to make into the Test arena if they score over Bangladesh and Zimbabwe — the two bottom ranked ‘Full Member’ nations — in the play-offs.
Nothing, however, has been finalised.

“Yes, there’s a move to make an overhaul of the Test format and make the longer version of the game more interesting. But everything is half-baked. If you discuss weather over a cup of coffee, then that doesn’t change the weather. What I can tell you is that the ICC is not doing anything. It’s about a few cricket boards who are weighing options. But we still have a long way to go to make this happen. We can finalise the modalities only after we reach an agreement over the format and things are accepted and confirmed,” said a BCCI insider, speaking to The Indian Express.

Basically, the ‘Big Four’ are mulling a change to counterbalance the imminent death of the proposed ICC Test Championship in 2017, which doesn’t have commercial and broadcasters’ backing.

In a two-tier Test format, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe will walk into a danger zone and a slip might see them being relegated. In that case, however, they won’t lose their Test status, notwithstanding the fact that they won’t be able to play at the highest level for a period. “Promotion and relegation will be introduced on ‘no disadvantage’ condition that none of the current ICC Full Member nations would lose that status and its financial advantages,” writes Cricinfo.