ICC Test Championship: The beginning of a new era?

Has the International Cricket Council (ICC) formulated an efficient points system for the inaugural World Test Championship?

Cricket’s newest international event, the ICC World Test Championship, was officially launched on 29th July 2019. The competition is set to run from August 2019 to June 2021, during which nine of the twelve Test playing nations will lock horns. Each side will play six different teams within two years, with their schedules composed of three home series and three away series. After the league stage ends, the two teams at the top of the table will play a final at Lord’s in June 2021.

With the advent of T20 cricket and its subsequent rise in popularity, Test cricket has suffered tremendously. Fans, especially those from younger generations, have started preferring the hard-hitting nature of the shorter format to the more tactically nuanced progression of Tests. To address these concerns and rejuvenate the five-day game’s following, the ICC World Test Championship was created.

When the tournament was officially launched, the ICC released a breakdown of its schedule and the points system at its core. Each series will have a total of 120 points on offer regardless of the number of Tests being played. The 120 points will then be split equally across every match in the series, with the table above illustrating all possible scenarios. Hence, if a team plays a two match series and wins both games, it’ll earn the maximum 120 points. In the case of a tie, the points allotted for that Test will be split evenly between the two teams.

Three series have already been played, and the points system developed by the ICC is attracting plenty of criticism due to its inconsistencies. After the Ashes concluded at 2-2, both England and Australia are on 56 points. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka and New Zealand drew 1-1 in their two match series – but both teams have 60 points. Despite the similarity of these outcomes, the teams that played the longer series are at a disadvantage – and it’s difficult to understand why.

Australia and England both end the #Ashes with 56 points on the World Test Championship table. pic.twitter.com/bUOG8PGT9H

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) September 15, 2019

Winning a series is not rewarded with additional points either. One possible solution could be to restrict the number of Tests in every series and simplify the system. However, this is easier said than done given the scheduling issues that could arise and the decorated history of a five-match series like the Ashes. Another issue stems from the margin of victory and run-rate having no influence on the number of points awarded. To restore the balance, bonus points could be introduced for comprehensive victories.

The scheduling itself has also been under the spotlight. New Zealand, for example, don’t have to play strong Test teams like England and South Africa. This affords them the chance to compete with slightly weaker opposition. Australia, on the other hand, don’t play West Indies and Sri Lanka – which leaves them facing the very best. A round-robin approach could help level the playing field, while splitting the teams into two equally matched groups is viable albeit counter-intuitive.

In further changes ahead of the World Test Championship, the tradition of the coin toss will be replaced by a @Twitter poll, allowing fans at home to decide who bats and bowls! pic.twitter.com/7wOuB8psZJ

— ICC (@ICC) April 1, 2019

Lastly, playing an equal number of home and away series doesn’t guarantee that every team will play the same number of home games. In Test cricket, the hosts almost always have the upper hand – and a disproportionate fixture list will inevitably tip the scales. Even so, cricket fans around the world are hyped for the event as it grants significantly more exposure to the game’s longer format. The set-up may not be flawless, but we’ll inevitably see improvements in future editions of the ICC World Test Championship.