ICC weighs plan to cut down number of Test teams after 2027

Only a few teams are likely to be allowed to play Tests after 2027

PHOTO: AFP

A proposal to limit the number of Test teams has surfaced during ICC meetings, suggesting the exclusion of financially struggling sides from the longer format. There is also ongoing consideration of dividing Test-playing nations into two divisions.

According to details, only a limited number of teams may be allowed to play Test cricket after 2027. Since the first-ever Test match between Australia and England in 1877, only 12 countries have been granted Test status.

Test cricket is considered the most prestigious and respected format of the game, but the rise in popularity of limited-overs cricket has affected its status. As a result, the ICC has started evaluating various proposals to preserve the appeal of the longest format.

Reports indicate that the ICC is seriously considering limiting the number of Test-playing nations once the current Future Tours Programme (FTP) ends in 2027. The proposal to divide Test cricket into two divisions is also under review, with a final decision expected by the end of this year. However, the real question remains: which teams will continue to play Test cricket and which ones will fall out of the pattern?

The core of the ICC's new policy is that only those teams will be allowed to play Test cricket that generate financial revenue from the format. In this context, the “Big Three” — India, Australia, and England — face no threat, while New Zealand and Pakistan also appear to be in a safe zone.

However, countries like West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland, and even South Africa may face challenges. For these boards, hosting Test matches is no longer profitable and, at times, results in financial losses.

Sources indicate that interim recommendations prepared by Cricket Australia, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), six other boards, and the ICC's new CEO, Sanjay Gupta, will be presented to ICC Chairman Jay Shah by the end of this year. These recommendations could serve as the basis for selecting the teams that will continue to play Test cricket in the future.