As far as the levels of the competitiveness of Tests go, there has been talks of splitting the Test playing nations into two divisions. These talks are seemingly ongoing. It was initiated by the 'Big 3': The Indian; England and Wales and the Australian boards. While this may be unique, there are calls for it to be shut down. All the reasoning points to the big bucks.
It's important to distinguish between the two divisions. Division 1 would include: England; Australia; India; South Africa; Pakistan; Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Division 2 would include: West Indies; Bangladesh; Ireland; Afghanistan and Zimbabwe.
This style has been debated for a long time. It has been that way ever since the proliferation of franchise T20 competitions began with the Indian Premier League in 2008. That tournament has become a juggernaut and other white-ball showcases have sprung up around the world, including the Big Bash League, The Hundred, the Pakistan Super League and SA20.
A new report from Australian newspaper, The Melbourne Age, has suggested that the ICC (International Cricket Council - the governing body) chair, Jay Shah, will soon meet with his counterparts from England and Australia to discuss a potential two-tier system.
In that scenario - and it can't happen until the end of the Future Tours Programme (FTP) and next World Test Championship cycle in mid-2027 - marquee series could take place on a more frequent basis with two Ashes contests every three years as opposed to the current two in four.
The increased frequency in tours against each other would benefit the three governing bodies significantly from a financial perspective, with The Age noting that CA (Cricket Australia) would only have a 'downside' year once in every four years, compared to twice every four years.
All three countries are also have said to be mindful of the fast growth of T20 franchise leagues and private ownership, which in turn, has created more competition for both players and for space in the sport’s calendar.
The idea of splitting test cricket into two divisions was previously discussed at ICC level in 2016. The proposal would have then put seven countries into the top tier, with five nations to compete in the second division.
However, it was eventually set aside after the BCCI (Board Control for Cricket in India), alongside cricket boards representing Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, voted against the plans. The BCCI then cited the need to 'protect' opportunities afforded to smaller teams, who had argued that they stood to lose significantly if they were to be fenced off separately from the bigger nations.
Reactions have been mixed. Not surprisingly, those from England, Australia and India are all for it. Former England captain, Michael Vaughan, and former India head coach and cricketer, Ravi Shastri, batted for the inclusion of the two-tier system in Test cricket with the latter calling it "need of the hour to survive Test cricket."
During the final Test match between India and Australia in Sydney, Ravi Shastri expressed his satisfaction with the crowd turnout and emphasised the importance of showcasing the best teams to ensure the survival of Test cricket. According to an official statement from CA, a total of 837 879 spectators attended the series across five venues: Perth; Adelaide; Brisbane; Melbourne and Sydney.
"It serves as a strong reminder to the ICC that the best teams should compete against each other for Test cricket to thrive. There is too much clutter otherwise," Shastri stated on SEN Radio.
He further commented, "This match highlights the necessity for a two-tier system, featuring the top 6-8 teams, along with promotion and relegation. We will not attract these kinds of crowds unless we have two competitive teams playing against each other."
Lalchand Rajput, the current head coach of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) national cricket team, has proposed that implementing a two-tier system in cricket could be beneficial. He said, "Such a system would foster healthy competition and enhance the excitement of the sport. In this setup, the best teams would face each other more frequently, while lower-ranked teams would have a clear incentive to perform well in order to climb into the top tier."
Following a World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, the bottom two teams from the top six could be relegated to the second tier, while the top two teams from that tier could be promoted", the former India coach suggested.
He likens this proposed two-tier system to the Ranji Trophy, where the elements of relegation and promotion contribute to a more thrilling competitive environment.
Sky Sports Cricket pundit and former England captain, Michael Atherton, says any new structure must allow for movement between the leagues and not create an, "entrenched elite."
He told the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast: "Tiers and divisions are two different things. Divisions implies, to me at least, a chance of promotion and relegation. I'd be fine with that.
"But I'd be anti-tiers where there is no chance for the bottom tier to get into the top tier and it becomes an entrenched elite."
Former West Indies captain, Sir Clive Lloyd, who led the team to victory in the 1975 and 1979 World Cups, has criticised proposed plans, stating they "must be stopped now." He expressed concern that countries striving for Test-match status would end up playing in a lower tier, hampering their progress.
"It will be detrimental to all those countries that work so hard to achieve Test-match status, as they will end up playing among themselves in a lower tier," Lloyd, 80, expressed. "How are they supposed to reach the top? Competing against stronger teams helps you improve. That's how you determine how good or bad you are. I am very disturbed by this."
Lloyd suggested that all teams should receive equal financial support to improve their skills, emphasizing, "The system is not equitable."
Former England batter Ebony Rainford-Brent also opposes the proposals, arguing that focusing only on top teams undermines the global nature of the sport. She highlighted the importance of scheduling key series to avoid major events while maintaining the integrity of the game.
"If we only see the top teams facing each other, it might be entertaining, but what does that mean for the game?" she said. "The reality is that we are part of a global sport, and we should aim to promote a more inclusive agenda rather than just focusing on a few countries to maintain excitement."
Legendary South African captain, Graeme Smith, has expressed concerns about the idea of a two-tier system for Test cricket. "I also do feel for the ICC. I was just looking at a note this morning about how much England and India are playing each other over the next period, and Australia and vice versa. It gets extremely hard for the other nations... India are probably the best because they are commercially so reliable for the other nations. But where do you find the top three nations playing each other all the time? And you can only imagine in the next FTP cycle how that’s been tied up in the background," Smith said during an appearance on Sky Cricket.
"How does the ICC create a structure that’s fair in the top three’s eyes? I think what world cricket needs is South Africa to be strong, the West Indies to be strong, and Sri Lanka to improve. Otherwise, can you see a world where there are only three nations playing cricket in the future?" he added.
The former South African captain, who played a pivotal role in the team’s dominance in Test cricket during the last decade, emphasised the need for all teams to prioritise the format. He also highlighted South Africa's success in the current World Test Championship (WTC) cycle as an example.
"My answer to that would be, we [South Africa] are in the World Test Championship (WTC) final; we’ve got a chance to win the mace. I think that’s the key," he stated. "You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do, and South Africa have done that. I think over the last couple of years, their win percentages are actually pretty decent if you go and look over a period of time.”
West Indies are currently eighth in the ICC Test rankings and have won only three of their last 17 matches in the format - against Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Australia. That victory against Australia, in Brisbane in January 2024, was a thriller of a game with fast bowler, Shamar Joseph, taking seven wickets with a busted toe as the tourists won by eight runs.
That began a year of Test cricket that included Sri Lanka beating England at The Kia Oval, New Zealand inflicting a first series defeat on India at home since 2012 and Australia and India playing out an absorbing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series which saw a record 373 691 spectators turn up across the five days of the Boxing Day Test at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Sky Sports' Nasser Hussain said: "Am I just being naïve? I have watched Test cricket this year and it has been absolutely fabulous, it has been box office. Some of the cricket, some of the crowds and some of the contests have been incredible. Why do people keep saying it is a difficult product to sell? I am watching great Test match cricket but people are saying it is not the product for the future."
The primary concern regarding the inclusion of the two-tier system in Test cricket is revenue. Lower-ranked teams rely heavily on the income generated from hosting matches against major cricketing nations like Australia, England or India. For example, if Bangladesh were to stop hosting top-ranked teams, it would struggle to survive financially. They would primarily play against other lower-ranked teams, which may not improve their quality of cricket. While matches like India vs. England or Australia vs. England attract large crowds, the development and growth of emerging cricket nations could be significantly hindered.
The idea of introducing a system of relegation and promotion in Test cricket, similar to European football leagues, raises important questions for the ICC and the WTC cycle. Specifically, how many teams will be promoted to the top tier at the end of each WTC cycle and how many will be relegated? For instance, if India has a poor WTC cycle, can the ICC afford to relegate a major team like India or England? Would the absence of prominent series such as the Border-Gavaskar Trophy or the Ashes be viable for a WTC cycle?
If a two-tier system is introduced in Test cricket, it would require all top-ranked teams to compete against each other at least once during each WTC cycle. This could provide India and Pakistan with an opportunity to play their first Test match against each other since 2007. The question then arises: Can the BCCI permit a series against Pakistan and if so, where would it be held?
The primary goal of the ICC is to promote cricket and enhance its quality in as many nations as possible. While revenue is essential for supporting such a vast sport, is it the only thing needed at this moment? If nations like Afghanistan, the West Indies, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe are not allowed to compete against established teams like England, Australia and New Zealand, how will their cricket develop? How can they improve their standards and how can emerging nations like Uganda or the UAE gain entry into the Test structure?
Recently, Bangladesh achieved a notable victory against Pakistan at home and the West Indies triumphed over Australia in a Pink Ball Test when Shamar Joseph gained prominence. These significant changes in Test cricket among the so-called lower-ranked teams indicate progress. Therefore, if a two-tier system is introduced at this stage, it could hinder their development.
Two tiers for Test cricket may be palatable for the format's newest teams in Afghanistan and Ireland - provided promotion remains a possibility, of course. Ireland have won their previous two Tests, beating Afghanistan by six wickets in the UAE and Zimbabwe in Belfast by four, after starting their tenure in the format with seven successive defeats, including two to England and a pair of innings losses in Sri Lanka.
This idea is ridiculous and total hogwash. This is clearly a cash grab idea. It's obviously unfair to the other nations. as illustrated above, upsets do occur. Everyone has to anticipate that possibility and not assume a whitewash. 'Divison 2' nations will probably cease to exist if this system is implemented. They need this level of competition to test (no pun intended) their skills and abilities.