The ICC announced plans for a World Test Championship back in 2010 and the tournament was supposed to have launched in 2013, with Lord’s hosting the final. But financial problems meant it was cancelled.
The concept behind the World Test Championship is a good one, as it adds context to Test series that have little in common beyond traditional rivalries. But it has taken on too much of a messy, tacked-on feel to be truly effective.
Its structure is based on teams earning points for wins (12 points), draws (six) and losses (zero) over series that last four or more matches, with positions calculated as percentages of the total points available. Bigger, wealthier nations like England and Australia tend to play five-match series, compared to less affluent sides which often play three-match ones. That creates an imbalance and makes the rankings system a little confusing, too.
It could have been resolved by introducing a separate playoff stage, which would involve the bottom two and the top four teams in each group. But it was felt that adding another competition would create an extra pressure point and distract from the main event. In the meantime, a few tweaks are needed to make the current WTC a more meaningful competition. Firstly, there needs to be more incentive for teams to schedule longer, more meaningful series. The Ashes is a perfect example. But there is also room for short, two-match series such as the Proteas’ triumphant 5-0 win over England in their recent WTC cycle.