Tests heading for a split: BCCI, CA and ECB mull idea of two-tire system

By Prakhar Sachdeo

 The ICC in collaboration with cricket boards of India, Australia and England is exploring the possibility of a two-tier Test system to facilitate more series between big three nations.

The Age reported that Jay Shah, the became the new ICC Chair on December 1 last year, is set to meet Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird and his England counterpart Richard Thompson later this month to discuss the finer points.

A BCCI official indicated that the discussion floated around the ICC corridors in 2016, the first-time when a two-tier Test system was seriously considered. The plan had to be put on hold as The BCCI and cricket bodies of Zimbabwe and Bangladesh opposed the move, citing the possibility of decreasing revenue.

This time though the idea has got the backing of former India player and team’s former coach Ravi Shastri. “I’ve been a firm believer in that if you want Test cricket to survive and be alive and thriving, I think that’s the way to go. “The top teams play against each other more often, so there is a contest; you want contests,” Shastri told SEN during AUS v IND Test in Sydney.

Even some of the top players such as England Test skipper Ben Stokes had criticised the current model of World Test Championship.

If the plan to split the 12 Test playing teams does come into existence then it will make India, England and Australia play more Tests against each other. The recently held Border Gavaskar series saw record turnout at MCG and SCG. 

The Age has predicted how the two tiers will look like. The top tire will have South Africa, Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Pakistan while the second division will comprise of West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe.

Such kind of move is also being planned in club football where the richest and the biggest football clubs of Europe play in a seperate league, the European Super League. However the idea was met with a heavy backlash by football fans and had to be junked.  

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