At the World Test Championship (WTC) Final at Lord’s last week, ICC Chair Jay Shah signalled his support for introducing four‑day Tests during the 2027–29 cycle. The move, aimed at easing the burden on boards like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, could allow them to host more matches and longer series without stretching time or resources. With 17 of the 27 series in the current cycle being limited to just two Tests, the need for a more flexible format is apparent.
Test cricket to be revolutionised?
Now, as per the Guardian, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is ready to make four-day Test matches the norm soon. In October 2017, the ICC approved a request for a four-day Test match between South Africa and Zimbabwe. Now, the shortened Test matches can be included in the WTC cycle as well, something that will spice things up, especially for Non-“Big 3” nations.
Under the revised model, a three-Test series could be completed in less than three weeks, thanks to longer playing hours—98 overs a day instead of 90. Meanwhile, traditional five-day fixtures will still be reserved for high-profile rivalries such as the Ashes, Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), and the new Anderson-Tendulkar series.
During discussions last week at the WTC final at Lord’s, the ICC chair, Jay Shah, is understood to have expressed his support for four-day Tests, with a view to sanctioning them in time for the 2027-29 WTC cycle,” the Guardian report said.
Test cricket: Not an equal format to all
The disparity in WTC scheduling is a massive issue. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh play, on average, perhaps six two-Test series over two years, fairly low compared to India and Australia, who each play a minimum of 18–22 Tests. Sri Lankan stalwart Angelo Mathews voiced his frustration, stating, “Teams like England, India or Australia are playing 15-plus games a year. Why can’t we play? We can.”
Four-day Tests are seen as a pragmatic solution: more frequent, shorter commitments that still offer red-ball competition. The format is not unfamiliar to England, who have held four-day Tests against Zimbabwe and Ireland. It can also attract more audiences who don’t have the patience to wait for a match’s result for five days.
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