Should Test cricket have two tiers – or would that be ‘terrible’ for some nations? | Cricket News happymamay

The future of Test cricket is always a hotly debated topic within the sport.

It has been this way since T20 competitions began to become popular with the Indian Premier League in 2008.

That tournament became a juggernaut and other white-ball shows sprung up around the world, including the Big Bash, The Hundred, Pakistan Super League and SA20.

I have left Test cricket fighting to win eyeballs, stay relevant and even retain players, with constant conversations about how to keep the purest form of the game as part of the game.

A new report from The Australian newspaper Melbourne era It was suggested that ICC President Jay Shah would soon meet his counterparts from England and Australia to discuss a possible two-tier system.

This could see a seven-sided tour of England, Australia, India, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand, with the other Test nations – West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe – in the second tier.

In that scenario – and it cannot happen until the end of the future tour program and the next World Test Championship cycle in mid-2027 – the marquee series could take place on a more frequent basis with two Ashes competitions every three years rather than the current two. In four.

Atherton: I’m fine with sections but not levels

In this sense, the appeal of the two levels is clear, however Sky Sports Cricket Pundit and former England captain Michael Atherton says any new structure should allow for movement between leagues and not create an “entrenched elite”.

And he said to Sky Sports Cricket Podcast: “Levels and divisions are two different things. Divisions mean, for me at least, the opportunity to go up and down. I’ll be fine with that.

“But I would be anti-caste as there is no chance for the lower class to reach the upper class and become an established elite.”

The proposal to create two divisions in Test cricket was rejected by India in 2016 due to the fear of widening the gap between the better performing teams in the format and the rest.

This should be a concern again now, with the desire to appear in Test cricket likely to diminish for players in the second division, certainly if there is no chance of promotion on paper.

Lloyd: You’re just making the play better

Sir Clive Lloyd, who captained the West Indies during the golden period of the 1970s and 1980s, is “troubled” by the idea of ​​a two-tier formation and wants those struggling Test nations to challenge themselves against the best more often.

“I think it will be terrible for all those countries that have worked so hard to get Test status,” he said. “Now they will be playing each other in the lower division.

“How will they get to the top? When you play against better teams. That way you know how good you are or how bad you are. I’m very upset.

“A better system would be to give teams the same amount of money so they can have the tools to improve.

“We are struggling so much, we need a special dispensation. Some down there are not playing Test matches and others are playing a world of Test matches. The system is not correct.

“They have to sit down and work things out, that’s what they’re there to do. That’s their duty, that’s their job to do it.

“we [West Indies] It has been a cash cow for many countries over the years… and people need to realize that. “But now we’re in this situation where we need help, and we can’t get it.”

Hussain: Test cricket has been great recently

The West Indies are currently eighth in the ICC Test rankings and have won just three of their last 17 matches in the format – against Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Australia.

That victory over Australia, in Brisbane in January 2024, was a thriller with fast bowler Shamar Joseph taking seven wickets with a broken toe as the tourists won by eight runs.

That kicked off a year of Test cricket that included Sri Lanka beating England at The Kia Oval, New Zealand inflicting India’s first defeat on home soil since 2012, and Australia and India playing out a thrilling Border-Gavaskar Trophy series that saw a record 373,691 spectators turn out over the five days. For the Boxing Day Test at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Sky Sports Nasir Hussain said: “Am I just naive? I watched Test cricket this year and it was absolutely fantastic and a huge hit at the box office.”

“Some of the cricket, some of the crowds and some of the competitions were amazing.

“Why do people keep saying this product is difficult to sell? I’m watching a great cricket match but people say it’s not the product for the future.”

But Australia’s success against India, and the contested money series between these two teams and England, could convince decision-makers that best-for-best is the way to go.

Getting rid of the “clutter”?

This is certainly the direction former England captain Michael Vaughan sees the game going, writes V.I telegraph: “I’ve been saying for a long time that the way to make Test cricket relevant is by ensuring we have fewer mismatches.

“I think it’s a four-day product with a set number of matches each day, a minimum of three matches per series and two sections of six, including promotion and relegation.”

Former Indian player and coach Ravi Shastri added to Radio Sin After his country’s series in Australia, which the hosts won 3-1: “It was a sound reminder to the ICC that the best must play the best for Test cricket to survive. There is too much chaos otherwise.”

There’s also an argument that lower-ranked nations playing each other and having a greater chance of winning would be more fun than getting pasted by the elite.

Although the UEFA Nations League has not been without its detractors, it has seen teams play teams of a more equal standard, with the likes of San Marino and Gibraltar – previously perennially beaten by nations including England – notching rare victories.

The two levels of Test cricket could be something palatable for the latest format teams in Afghanistan and Ireland – provided, of course, promotion remains a possibility.

Ireland had won the previous two Tests, beating Afghanistan by six wickets in the United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe in Belfast by four, after starting their tenure in the format with seven successive defeats, including two to England and two innings losses in Sri Lanka.

“Test cricket will be nothing more than a six- or seven-nation format.”

For former South Africa captain Graeme Smith, Test cricket will always have fewer elite teams than T20, but he believes the longer format of the sport could remain in poor health.

“Test cricket, for me, will never be more than a Six or Seven Nations tournament,” Smith said. Sky Sports Cricket Podcast.

“It will never grow to 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 teams like T20, so I think more needs to be done to ensure there is a dual Test cricket programme.

“If you can keep six or seven nations strong, people will always watch. If a good team comes to South Africa, we see good crowds and interest in Test cricket.”

But he added: “World cricket needs a strong South Africa, it needs a strong West Indies, it needs Sri Lanka to improve.”

However, the question is what is the best way to preserve their power, and it is hoped that officials will consider their thinking if discussions about a two-tier system actually take place.

Another element is what will happen in India’s matches against Pakistan, as the countries are not currently playing each other outside of ICC events due to political tensions.

Even in those competitions, India will not play Pakistan and vice versa until at least 2027 with neutral venues being used for the touring side.

India, for example, will play their matches in Dubai when Pakistan host the ICC Champions Trophy in February-March.

Watch ICC Champions Trophy live Sky Sports From February 19th. England’s first match will be against Australia on February 22.