 "Explained: What are ICC's suggestions to promote Test and ODI formats?")
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has come up with measures in order to boost the Test format beyond cricket’s ‘Big Three’. The global governing body for the sport has also introduced measures for One-Day Internationals (ODI) in order to make the ‘50-over format’ more appealing in an era in which it struggles for relevance against the fast-paced Twenty20 Internationals.
According to The Times of India, ICC’s Cricket Committee came up with suggestions to boost the two longer formats during board meetings at its Dubai headquarters recently. The ODI format been losing relevance outside the ICC events such as the quadrennial World Cup thanks to the rise of the T20 format.
There have been concerns over Test cricket being largely limited to India, Australia and England, whose boards, especially that of India, virtually call the shots when it comes to running the sport.
What are the ICC’s recommendations for the Test and ODI formats
As per the TOI report, the ICC has recommended having a minimum of three matches in a series in a World Test Championship cycle. This has been done keeping in mind nations such as South Africa, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, who have largely been limited to two-Test assignments in the last three WTC cycles.
The ‘Big Three’ nations, on the other hand, usually play four or five Tests when facing each other. While the Ashes has mainly been a five-Test affair for a majority of its 147-year-old history, India had recently been upgraded to playing five Tests in England and Australia from four over the past decade.
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View All“Some countries like South Africa, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka mostly play just two Test series. Only India, England, and Australia play long Test series. That doesn’t help in promoting Test cricket, and the point distribution becomes very unfair. The recommendations are targeted at wiping out such disparities,” an ICC source was quoted as saying in the report.
Read | What is the two-tier Test cricket system proposed by Ravi Shastri to protect the longest format?
The ICC has also pushed for more its Full Members to host more day-night fixtures in order to boost attendance for Test matches, especially in the Indian subcontinent where blistering heat during day-time prevents spectators from turning up for Tests in large numbers.
“The ICC committee feels the pink-ball Tests have brought more people into the stadiums. Recently, one saw very poor turnouts in Pakistan. The three pink-ball Tests in India sold more tickets than usual. Test-playing nations must be encouraged to schedule more pink-ball Tests,” the source added.
As for ODIs, which used to be the only white-ball format in international cricket before T20 made its international debut in 2005, the ICC Cricket Committee has decided to limit the use of two new balls to the first 25 overs of the innings, after which only one ball will be used.
The committee came up with this decision in order to provide bowlers more support by ensuring the ball is further worn out in the last 10 overs of the game and supports reverse swing.
Read | Thrills, shockers in 2023 ICC World Cup cannot erase future ODI concerns
The ICC had amended its playing conditions and rules in 2011 which resulted in an ODI being played with two new balls per innings, one from each end. The move was aimed to help the batters score more freely in the death overs and for teams to post taller scores.
The Cricket Committee is led by former India captain and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and comprises legends of the game such as Mahela Jayawardene, Shaun Pollock, Daniel Vettori, Roger Harper, and VVS Laxman. It will soon include BCCI secretary Jay Shah once he takes over as ICC chairman.
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