There’s a change in the air, and it might not smell sweet for fans of Pakistan cricket. According to The Guardian, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is on the verge of approving a radical overhaul of Test cricket. And if all goes to plan, Pakistan, once considered a heavyweight in the longest format, could find itself playing in Division Two.
A New Era of Test Cricket?
The traditional format we’ve all grown up loving might soon look very different. The ICC is reportedly planning a two-tier structure for Test cricket, with the changes expected to roll out from the 2027–29 World Test Championship cycle.
So, how does this work? The idea is simple, at least on paper: divide 12 Test-playing nations into two divisions of six.
Division One will feature the top-ranked teams, currently looking like Australia, India, England, New Zealand, and South Africa, with one slot still up in the air. Meanwhile, Division Two is expected to include Pakistan, Bangladesh, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland, and Afghanistan.
Let that sink in for a second. Pakistan, a side with a rich Test legacy, could be officially slotted into the second tier. It’s a blow that’s more symbolic than structural, but make no mistake, it hurts.
Who’s Calling the Shots?
Interestingly, this proposal was discussed during the ICC’s AGM in Singapore, the first such meeting under an all-Indian leadership, with Sanjog Gupta serving as the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer.
Gupta will head an eight-member working group tasked with finalising the new Test structure by the end of 2025. The working group also includes top officials from Cricket Australia (CA) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), two boards that have already been pushing the idea behind closed doors.
According to reports, the idea first surfaced during the Women’s Ashes earlier this year in discussions between CA and ECB.
The big questions now revolve around promotion and relegation. How do teams move up? Will it be based on performances? Rankings? And what happens to Test series between teams from different divisions?
A Power Play in Disguise?
There’s no denying that Australia, England, and India will benefit the most. Reports suggest that under the new structure, these three will play each other twice every three years, rather than the existing once-every-four-years model.
That’s more marquee series, more broadcast revenue, and, perhaps, a tighter grip on the game’s power balance.
For now, it’s all still a proposal, but the momentum seems to be building. To be implemented, the plan requires support from two-thirds of the ICC’s 12 full members. If passed, it will reshape how we view Test cricket.
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