Ravi Shastri calls for reduction in Test cricket teams

During a symposium organized by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on Sunday, several suggestions were put forward regarding the future of cricket formats, emphasizing the dominance of T20 cricket in attracting new audiences globally while expressing concerns about the declining popularity of Test cricket beyond India, England, and Australia.

Former Indian player and coach Ravi Shastri has advocated for maintaining the competitiveness of Test cricket by limiting participation to stronger teams. 

“When you don’t have quality, that is when the ratings drop, there are fewer people in the crowd, it’s meaningless cricket, which is the last thing sport wants,” Shastri said at World Cricket Connects, an event at Lord’s hosted by the MCC.

“You have 12 Test match teams. Bring it down to six or seven and have a promotion and relegation system.

“You can have two tiers but let the top six keep playing to sustain the interest in Test cricket.

“You can spread the game in other formats, like T20,” he added.

Proposals included reducing the number of Test-playing nations from twelve to six or seven and introducing a promotion and relegation system across two tiers to sustain interest in Test cricket. Shastri also highlighted the role of T20 cricket in expanding the sport's reach.

Justin Langer, former Australian batter and coach, acknowledged the appeal of T20 leagues but stressed the importance of preserving international cricket for its impact on youth, citing recent series such as West Indies' thrilling debut in Australia and India's World Cup victory celebrations drawing massive crowds.

“It had Australia enthralled and it brought the Caribbean to life,” Langer said.

“Last week we saw a million people turn up to see India celebrated for winning the World Cup.

“That is bilateral cricket and international cricket.”

MCC President Mark Nicholas affirmed that the discussions did not undermine Test cricket's significance. Still, he underscored the need for financial sustainability in cricket, acknowledging T20 cricket as a significant revenue driver critical for the sport's future growth and stability.

“T20 cricket is the behemoth that everyone wants,” he said.

“It is where the new market is, where the fans are and where the money is.

“In cricket, money is seen as a dirty word but it shouldn’t be because it is the only way to sustain the game.”