The world might witness an overhaul in the format of Test Cricket in recent years as the classical format of the game might shift into a two-tier system. According to reports, the newly-elected Chairman of the International Cricket Council Jay Shah is leading the proposal for the two-tier Test Cricket format.
Australian media outlet The Age have reported that Jay Shah, alongside cricket boards from India, Australia, and England, aims to introduce a system that prioritises marquee Test series. This comes at a time when the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) saw record-breaking attendance.
The 2023 BGT series between India and Australia drew a historic crowd of 837,879, making it the most attended non-Ashes Test series in Australian cricket history. This achievement underscored the potential for high-profile Test matches to attract significant interest, prompting renewed discussions about the two-tier format.
Under the proposed structure, top-tier teams such as India, Australia, England, South Africa, and New Zealand would play each other more frequently, while teams like Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Ireland, and Zimbabwe would compete in a lower tier. This division aims to ensure competitive balance, with the top tier focusing on high-quality matchups.
However, it remains unclear whether the system would include provisions for promotion and relegation, which could allow lower-tier teams to ascend to the top division based on performance.
It is pertinent to note that the idea of a two-tier Test structure is not new. It was initially floated in 2016 but was opposed by smaller cricket boards. Then-BCCI president Anurag Thakur rejected the plan, emphasising the potential marginalisation of smaller teams.
Anurag Thakur argued that such a system would deprive these nations of revenue and opportunities to compete against top teams, ultimately harming the spirit of cricket.
Anurag Thakur had previously stated, “The BCCI is against the two-tier Test system because the smaller countries will lose out, and we want to take care of them,”.
Despite past resistance, the concept is gaining traction among broadcasters and cricket commentators.
Ravi Shastri, while commentating on the BGT, endorsed the idea, saying, “If you want Test cricket to survive and thrive, this is the way to go.”
