Explained: Is this last India vs West Indies Test series before ICC introduces new system?
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Explained: Is this last India vs West Indies Test series before ICC introduces new system?")
Explained: Is this last India vs West Indies Test series? Photograph: (AFP)
There's been a new proposal sent to ICC to keep Test cricket relevant - a two-tier system which will divide the Test playing teams into two groups. The system, if accepted, will make it near impossible for West Indies have a Test series against India.
West Indies are in India for a two-Test series which begins on October 2 in Ahmedabad. They start the series as underdogs against a side which, despite in transition, ranks in top three in world cricket. West Indies were once a force to be reckoned with across the globe but now are a pale shadow of the past. Their record against India since 1994 also shows their decline - they have played 10 Tests against India in India since 1994 on four tours and have not won a single one, instead lost eight times and drawn twice.
Is this last West Indies vs India Test series for foreseeable future?
The Test cricket's status in world cricket has been a question for a long time now. The International Cricket Council (ICC), to boost the Test cricket, introduced World Test Championship (WTC) about seven years ago but it has only widened the gap between top tier nations and other teams. In the three WTC Finals since the maiden one in 2021 - only four teams have managed to reach the final - New Zealand (2021), India (2021 & 2023), Australia (2023 & 2025), and South Africa (2025).
There's been a new proposal sent to ICC to keep Test cricket relevant - a two-tier system which will divide the Test playing teams into two groups.
How will two-tier Test cricket work?
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The proposal of two-tier Test cricket, if accepted, will be applied after current Future Tour Programs (FTP) ends in 2027 with the WTC 2027 final. Under the system, six teams will be part of each tier based on their rankings. The top tier is expected to include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England, and India while West Indies could end up with Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan in the second tier.
The top tier teams will play against each other and compete for the WTC mace while the second tier teams will compete to get into the top tier. The system, if accepted, will make it near impossible for West Indies have a Test series against India which means the upcoming series could be the final chance for West Indies to register a Test win in India for the first time since 1994.
