ICC reportedly shelves two-tier Test championship plan

The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) much-debated proposal for a two-tier World Test Championship has been shelved after failing to secure sufficient backing from full-member nations, international media reported on Tuesday.

The idea, aimed at creating greater competitiveness and context in Test cricket, was discussed during the ICC’s quarterly meetings held in Dubai last week.

A special working group chaired by former New Zealand batter Roger Twose had been tasked with exploring the model and presenting recommendations to the ICC Board and Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC).

However, concerns over the financial implications of the system, as well as resistance from several full members, led to the proposal being dropped.

While the concept initially found some support among the “Big Three,” Australia, England, and India, the lack of consensus, particularly from Pakistan, the West Indies, and Sri Lanka, eventually scuttled the plan.

Under the suggested structure, the top division would have featured the leading Test-playing nations, while the lower tier would include emerging sides.

It was also proposed that the more established boards would provide financial and logistical support to those in the second division, an idea that ultimately failed to gain traction.

The shelving of the two-tier model means the ICC is now expected to expand the existing World Test Championship (WTC) instead.

According to reports, the next WTC cycle, starting in 2027, will likely feature 12 teams, with Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, and Ireland set to join the competition for the first time.

The two-tier Test concept had been a talking point since early 2024, when discussions between Cricket Australia (CA) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) reignited the idea during the women’s Ashes series.

CA had pushed strongly for a system that would allow the Big Three to play each other twice every three years, aiming to enhance both competitiveness and commercial value.

However, ECB chairman Richard Thompson later expressed deep reservations about the relegation-based approach, warning that it could jeopardize marquee series such as the Ashes if England were ever to drop to the lower division.

“We wouldn’t want, as England, if we go through a fallow period, to fall into Division Two and not play Australia or India. That simply couldn’t happen. Common sense needs to prevail,” Thompson told BBC’s Test Match Special earlier this year.

With the two-tier system now off the table, the ICC appears set to focus on expanding participation within the existing WTC format, a move that would not only give smaller nations more exposure to Test cricket but also preserve the sport’s traditional rivalries and commercial stability.