England And Wales Cricket Board Backs Proposal For Four-Day Tests: Report

There were some important talks about the optimistic possibility of staging four-day Tests in the future. Even International Cricket Council’s (ICC) cricket committee said that they will formally consider shortening Test matches to four days from five for the 2023-2031 cycle.

The ICC cricket committee is ready to discuss the issue next year as the world governing body and member boards look for options for freeing up a tightly-packed international calendar and also reducing player workload. ICC administrators want to make use of the time for shorter formats. Last week, Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts said that the board would seriously consider playing four-day tests.

England Board backs proposal for four-day Tests

Meanwhile, the England and Wales Cricket Board are cautiously backing plans for four-day World Test Championship matches from 2023. A four-day Test game is not a new concept with the last game played between England and Ireland earlier this year. South Africa and Zimbabwe also played this format once in 2017.

“We believe it could provide a sustainable solution to the complex scheduling needs and player workloads we face as a global sport. We’re definite proponents of the four-day test concept, but cautiously so, as we understand it’s an emotive topic for players, fans and others who have concerns about challenging the heritage of test cricket,” an ECB spokesperson told London’s Daily Telegraph newspaper.

Four-day matches were approved by the ICC in 2017 but as far as the elite level is concerned, this format has been restricted to matches between the major powers and less established countries.

Sourav Ganguly on Monday said that it is too early to talk about ICC’s proposal to make four-day Tests mandatory as part of the World Test Championship from 2023. When asked about his views on four-day Tests, BCCI President, at the Eden Gardens said: “First we will have to see the proposal, let it come and then we will see. It’s too early to say. Can’t comment just like this.”

Read More: ICC To Consider Mandatory Four-Day Tests After ICC World Test Championship 2021