Tag: Test cricket

The Pakistan cricket team is likely to be headed to Division Two of the newly proposed Test structure, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) is considering a radical change to the longest format of the game, according to a report from a British news outlet.

According to the report, the teams are set to be divided into divisions based on the current ICC Test rankings. Division one could most likely involve the World Test Champions (WTC) South Africa, New Zealand, India, England, and Australia.

Meanwhile, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the West Indies, Zimbabwe, and Ireland are set to be included in Division Two.

The ICC formed an eight-member team to finalize the proposed changes to the board by the end of 2025. The decision was taken during the first annual general meeting (AGM) held in Singapore under the newly appointed all-Indian leadership.

The proposed changes will take effect for the upcoming World Test Championship cycle, scheduled to run from 2027 to 2029. The revamped Two-tier Test system will involve an expansion from the present nine-team format to two divisions of six.

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Sanjog Gupta, ICC’s newly appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO), will lead an eight-member working group alongside the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket Australia (CA) chief executives.

However, the radical change will require the support of a two-thirds majority of the ICC’s 12 full members, as well as addressing challenges to the procedure regarding promotion and relegation between divisions.

Moreover, increased financial support will also be required for countries featured in Division Two.

For the unversed, the newly proposed two-division concept of Test cricket first emerged from  meetings between CA and the ECB during the women’s Ashes last January.

CA has notably backed the Two-tier Test system, suggesting that Australia, England, and India should play against each other twice every three years, rather than the current format of two series every four years.

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Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf has revealed his pick among the international cricket formats to help ease the increasingly packed international cricket schedule.

A few months earlier, the pacer expressed a desire to play in the longest format of the game for Pakistan amid scrutiny around his reluctance to play Test cricket.

The notion of his reluctance in playing Test matches has persisted since he withdrew from the 2023 Australia series due to concerns about fitness and workload management.

Following his withdrawal, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) terminated his central contract in February 2024, thereby disallowing him from participating in any overseas league.

Haris Rauf has made only one appearance for Pakistan in Test matches, playing against England in Rawalpindi in 2022. However, he was injured just after bowling 13 overs in the first innings. Since then, he has not been part of Pakistan’s red ball plans.

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Now, Haris Rauf has revealed that he wants to be dropped from the international calendar to manage his schedule.

“I would drop the Test format,” he said with a smile when asked about which version of the game he would remove to ease the cricket calendar.

The right-arm pacer also outlined his future goals for the Pakistan team in the next decade, stating, “I want to win at least two ICC events in the next 10 years.”

For the unversed, Haris Rauf is out of Pakistan’s upcoming tour of Bangladesh. The pacer is set to undergo rehab after sustaining an injury during the ongoing Major League Cricket (MLC) held in the United States of America (USA).

He was the second-highest taker in the tournament before an injury ruled him out of the Playoffs of the tournament. Playing for the San Francisco Unicorns, he picked up 17 wickets at an impressive average of 15.05 in eight innings.

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Pakistan pacer Hasan Ali has indicated that he may consider retiring from One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals in order to play Test cricket.

Veteran fast bowler Hasan Ali appeared in an interview with a sports platform, shedding light on various aspects of the game.

Hasan reiterated his decision to play the longest format of the game if he remains fit.

“Test cricket is my love. Even if the time comes to retire from T20s and ODIs, I won’t even think about quitting Test cricket as long as I’m fit,”

“My job is to perform. Whether or not I get selected is up to the PCB, the captain, and the team management,” he said.

It is noteworthy to mention that Hasan Ali made his debut against Ireland in 2016. The right-arm pacer has represented Pakistan across all formats. The Gujranwala-born pacer has so far played 24 Tests, 66 ODIs, and 54 T20Is.

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Hasan Ali’s last Test appearance came against Australia in 2024 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). The 31-year-old has taken 80 international wickets at a decent average of 27.31 in the longest form of the game.

However, he is not part of the squad for the three-match series against Bangladesh, set to commence on 20 July in Dhaka.

Earlier this week, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a 15-member squad for the T20I series, which is set to begin on July 20 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.

While several new faces were included, the absence of Hasan Ali raised eyebrows, particularly given his recent form.

Hasan Ali is currently representing Birmingham Bears in the ongoing Vitality Blast in England. The right-arm pacer has been in excellent form, picking up 21 wickets in just nine games at an impressive average of 13.38.

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Former England captain Michael Vaughan threw his support on Tuesday behind a two-tier structure “to save” Test cricket with the ICC reportedly meeting this month to discuss the issue.

Vaughan joined former India coach Ravi Shastri in urging a shake-up which would include relegation and promotion to help ensure the survival of the red-ball game.

Both men were on commentary duties during the thrilling five-Test series between Australia and India which the hosts won 3-1 in front of huge crowds.

“It has been a series that has only served to strengthen my views on where the game is headed and what administrators should be looking at,” Vaughan said in a column for The Telegraph in London and The Sydney Morning Herald.

“I believe it is a four-day product with a set number of overs each day enforced, three matches minimum per series and two divisions of six, including promotion and relegation.”

Shastri said the Australia-India series proved Test cricket continued to hold its own in the face of ever-increasing T20 franchise cricket.

But, like Vaughan, it only reinforced his view that to survive, the biggest teams needed to be playing each other more often.

The Herald reported Tuesday that Australia, England, India and the International Cricket Council’s new chairman Jay Shah would meet this month to discuss a two-tier structure.

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Any move to two divisions would kick in after the end of the current Future Tours Programme in 2027, it added, citing sources with knowledge of the talks.

“I was delighted to read in this masthead the ICC are considering a two-tier structure from 2027 which could see the Ashes staged twice every three years,” said Vaughan.

“I have been saying for a long time this is the way to keep Test cricket relevant by ensuring the best play the best as often as possible, and we get fewer mismatches.

“There is much to iron out before any major changes are made for 2027, but there is time.”

The ICC has been contemplating a two-tier system for years but the plans have never got off the ground.

A proposal for a de facto premier league featuring the top seven sides was on the agenda of the world governing body in 2016.

It was scrapped after the powerful Indian board led a backlash.

While India stand to gain from playing more matches against teams such as England and Australia, the BCCI said at the time the cost to smaller cricketing nations was too great.

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Former India coach Ravi Shastri on Wednesday advocated for a two-tier structure in Test cricket with relegation and promotion to ensure the survival of the red-ball game.

His comments follow the blockbuster fourth Test between India and Australia that drew a record 373,691 spectators to the Melbourne Cricket Ground over five enthralling days.

That beat the previous record of 350,534 at the same ground during the 1936-37 Ashes series against England, when Donald Bradman ruled the sport and Tests were played over six days.

Shastri, now a commentator, said he could not remember “a bigger advertisement for Test cricket” and said it proved the five-day game continued to hold its own in the face of ever-increasing T20 franchise cricket.

But the 62-year-old said it also reinforced his view that for Test cricket to survive, the biggest teams needed to be playing each other more often.

“To break crowd records that have stood for nearly a century… is testimony to the fact that when the best teams play, the toughest and best format of the game is still alive and thriving,” he said in a column for The Australian newspaper.

“It was also a sound reminder to the ICC (International Cricket Council) that the best should play the best for Test cricket to survive. I will say that there’s too much of a clutter otherwise.

“This match further emphasises why we need a two-tier system with the top 6-8 teams and then include promotion and demotion. You will not get these kinds of crowds if you don’t have two proper teams playing.”

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The ICC has been contemplating a two-tier system for years to keep the format competitive but the plans have never got off the ground.

A proposal for a de facto premier league featuring the top seven sides was on the agenda of the world governing body in 2016. It was scrapped after the powerful Indian board led a backlash.

While India stand to gain from playing more matches against teams such as England and Australia, the BCCI said at the time the cost to smaller cricketing nations was too great.

Ravi Shastri also said the Melbourne game proved that Tests should remain five days, amid chatter that they should be reduced to four to help streamline schedules.

“The theatre in the end on (day five) Monday was further proof of why we need five days for a classic Test match,” he said.

“However, if you don’t create a two-tier system, you’ll continue to have unmatched teams up against each other and then it’s very unlikely they’ll be able to take a game into the fifth day.

“Then there’ll always be talk of four-day Tests.”

Australia won the Test by 184 runs deep into day five and lead the series 2-1 heading into the final clash in Sydney this week.

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