ICC Considers Two-Tier Test Cricket and CLT20 Revival

London, Jul 21 (PTI) An International Cricket Council (ICC) initiative is underway to evaluate the potential restructuring of Test cricket into a two-tier system. The eight-member working group, spearheaded by ICC's newly appointed chief executive officer, Sanjog Gupta, was established at the ICC's annual general meeting in Singapore. The leadership of the meeting featured Jay Shah as chair, with Gupta assuming his role as CEO earlier this month.

According to 'The Guardian', the panel includes Richard Gould, chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and Todd Greenberg, his counterpart from Cricket Australia (CA). The working group's mandate includes introducing potential changes for the forthcoming cycle of the World Test Championship, planned from 2027 to 2029, shifting from the current nine-team format to a two-division structure with six teams per division

Strong support from CA and ECB, represented by Gould and Greenberg, increases the likelihood that this two-tier format will be adopted. Presently, the World Test Championship is a nine-team competition, but the proposed restructure would feature divisions with promotion and relegation dynamics.

Both CA and ECB have a history of advocating for the two-tier system Last year, CA lobbied for a format where Australia, England, and India would play each other twice every three years, as opposed to the current arrangement of two series every four years.

Champions League T20 reboot on the cards

There are also talks of resurrecting the Champions League T20 (CLT20) for next year, more than a decade since its last run. The ICC is deeply engaged in such revival discussions, with backing from cricket boards in India, Australia, and England.

As per 'Sydney Morning Herald' reports, the proposal for the competition's return received support from significant member nations during the AGM.

The final CLT20 took place in India in 2014, where Chennai Super Kings triumphed over Kolkata Knight Riders in Bengaluru. That edition featured three Indian teams, two each from Australia and South Africa, and one team from Pakistan, West Indies, and New Zealand.

The tournament held six editions between 2009-10 and 2014-15, with India hosting four and South Africa two. Dominant performances saw Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians each clinching the title twice, while Australia's New South Wales and Sydney Sixes won once each.

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