NEW DELHI: Earlier this year, former India head coach Ravi Shastri passionately advocated for a two-tier structure in Test cricket, complete with promotion and relegation, as a crucial step to ensure the survival of the game’s longest format.
“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,” Shastri argued in a column for The Australian.
Shastri’s call for promotion and relegation felt particularly urgent after the Ahmedabad Test between India and West Indies concluded in just two and a half days. While there was some criticism for the West Indies’ performance, prompting former legend Roston Chase’s side to show more resolve, they did play with more grit in the national capital, extending the second Test to Day 5. However, India still secured a comfortable seven-wicket victory.
A series where the West Indies rarely had the upper hand, winning just one session in total, inevitably reignites fundamental questions: How can Test cricket be made more meaningful, competitive, and financially viable all at once?
The recurring debate is whether it’s finally time to implement a two-tier system in Test cricket. This isn’t a new concept. It was first proposed in 2009 by Dave Richardson, then the ICC’s general manager for cricket. The idea envisions dividing Test-playing nations into two distinct divisions with clear mechanisms for promotion and relegation.
- Ensure top teams compete against each other more frequently.
- Foster greater contest and competition in Test matches, thereby increasing their appeal.
- Generate more revenue and attract increased viewership for the traditional format.
Context and Contest
After 15 years of development, the World Test Championship (WTC) was introduced in 2019, specifically to add more context to bilateral Test series. It aimed to create a dedicated competition and a pinnacle event for the format, and to some extent, the ICC has succeeded. Even a ‘dead rubber’ Test now holds significance due to the WTC points on offer.
However, while the WTC has provided context, it hasn’t fully addressed the issue of one-sided contests. Many Test matches—outside of the ‘Big Three’ (Australia, India, England), New Zealand (the inaugural WTC winners), and South Africa (the reigning champions)—continue to conclude within two or three days, lacking true competitiveness. This persistent imbalance has reignited calls for structural changes, such as a tiered system, to foster more evenly matched contests.
| Teams | Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | Drawn | Deduction | PT | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 100.00 |
| Sri Lanka | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 66.67 |
| India | 7 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 61.90 |
| England | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 26 | 43.33 |
| Bangladesh | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 16.67 |
| West Indies | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| New Zealand | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Pakistan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| South Africa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
How to Make the Tier System Work
An informal tier system already exists, with nine teams participating in the WTC and three that don’t. However, reports suggest that a formal tiered system would involve splitting teams into two divisions, with a robust system of promotion and relegation. Cricket analyst and writer Jarrod Kimber, for instance, once championed the idea of granting Test status to more countries. While his vision included expanding to around 20 Test teams, a more practical first step could involve awarding Test status to at least two more nations before fully implementing a tiered system.
Under such a structure, Test cricket could feature 14 teams divided into two tiers of seven each, operating with promotion and relegation. Every team in the top tier would play all six other teams in their division during each WTC cycle, with three home and three away series, ensuring a balanced number of matches for each side. Crucially, teams in the second tier would also play regular Tests against each other. This consistent competition offers a far greater chance for emerging nations like Ireland or Afghanistan (or any other team in Tier Two) to develop their game, rather than simply being thrashed in a one-off Test against a top-tier opponent. Since gaining Test status in 2018, Afghanistan and Ireland have played only 11 and 10 Tests, respectively, highlighting the urgent need for more structured opportunities.
Sharing the Cricket Pie, Designated Windows for Tests, and Minimum Wage
For many teams outside the ‘Big Three’, playing a Test match often results in a financial loss. As former West Indies chief executive Johnny Grave mentioned to the BBC earlier this year, “I found it frustrating when we would come to England at a cost of $1 million to Cricket West Indies and see no revenue.” This underscores a significant concern: how would the ICC address the financial viability for teams that might find themselves in Tier Two?
Journalist and author Tim Wigmore, whose book ‘Test Cricket: A History’ delves into these issues, emphasizes that “The absolute key thing is that revenue is divided more equally” to make a tiered system successful. Wigmore proposed two primary approaches:
- Centralized System: The ICC could oversee bilateral Tests within the WTC, similar to how it manages World Cups, by issuing centralized broadcasting rights on a nation or region-wide basis. The revenue would then be distributed: a portion to the host nation, a share to the visiting team, and the remainder to the ICC for redistribution among the 6-7 Tier Two teams.
- Host-Managed Revenue Sharing: Alternatively, while the host nation could manage broadcasting and other logistics, the revenue generated from Tests would be divided into three parts: 45-50% for the host, 30-35% for the travelling team, and the rest to the ICC for redistribution to Tier Two teams.
Wigmore also suggested establishing designated windows for Test matches, free from the competition of franchise leagues being played concurrently. This would ensure the traditional format receives undivided attention and that top players are consistently available.
Furthermore, Wigmore proposed exploring the introduction of a minimum wage for Test cricketers, particularly for players in a potential Division Two. This would ensure they are “sufficiently well-paid to keep playing” and can continue to contribute to the sport.
However, these ideas currently seem like a distant dream. As Ravi Shastri rightly asserted, “The best should play the best for Test cricket to survive.”