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Ravi Shastri has called for a massive change in how Test cricket is being played and advocated for a two-tier system with relegation and promotion to ensure the survival of the format.
Ravi Shastri called for a two-tier system for Test Cricket. (AFP Photo)
Former Indian Head Coach, Ravi Shastri called for a two-tier system with relegation and promotion to ensure the survival of Test cricket on Wednesday.
The former Indian international suggested after the Boxing Day Test between India and Australia which took place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. They set a new record with a total of 3,73,691 individuals in attendance for the enthralling clash between two of the best teams. That beat the previous record of 350,534 at the same ground during the 1936-37 Ashes series against England, when Donald Bradman ruled the sport and Tests were played over six days.
Reflecting on what was an entertaining clash to close out 2024, Shastri feels that for the longest format to survive, the best teams would have to play each other more frequently.
“To break crowd records that have stood for nearly a century… is testimony to the fact that when the best teams play, the toughest and best format of the game is still alive and thriving,” he said in a column for The Australian newspaper.
“I will say that there’s too much of a clutter otherwise. This match further emphasises why we need a two-tier system with the top 6-8 teams and then include promotion and demotion. You will not get these kinds of crowds if you don’t have two proper teams playing,” he added.
The ICC had plans for a two-tier system to keep the format competitive. A proposal for a ‘de facto premier league’ with the top seven teams was on the cards in 2016. But it never got going with the BCCI standing firmly against this.
The BCCI felt they could benefit a lot by playing against the better teams but felt that it would see the smaller teams suffer greatly in the process.
The former Indian cricketer also suggested that the format continue playing five-day games with many indicating that Tests should be reduced to four days to help improve scheduling.
“The theatre in the end on (day five) Monday was further proof of why we need five days for a classic Test match,” he said.
“However, if you don’t create a two-tier system, you’ll continue to have unmatched teams up against each other and then it’s very unlikely they’ll be able to take a game into the fifth day. Then there’ll always be talk of four-day Tests,” he added.
(with AFP Inputs)
