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Bangladesh Test specialist feels that a two-tier system will push cricketers further to ODIs and T20s and affect the relevance of cricket’s oldest format.
BGT’s success has prompted the ICC to increase the volume of big-three cricket. (Picture Credit: AFP)
Bangladesh batter Mominul Haque is against the ‘frustrating’ idea of dividing Test cricket in two tiers, believing that it’ll reduce the relevance of the sport’s oldest format and push more players towards ODIs and T20s.
According to a report by The Age, the ICC is mulling the two-tier idea to make sure the big three — India, England and Australia — play each other more frequently. The three teams that generate most of the revenue in the sport will then play each other twice every three years, leaving less space for playing smaller nations like Bangladesh.
“It’s frustrating for me,” Haque, who’s generally considered a Test-specialist, told Cricbuzz on Tuesday. “To be honest I am not making any team small but I am not sure what process will be followed in the lower tier. I am not sure whether we can progress to the first tier if we play well in the second tier.”
“I think the number of Test matches will be lesser and it is very frustrating for the Test players and I don’t think it will be good for us. To be honest, if we don’t play against good teams our game will not improve and you will remain at the same level if you are playing among yourselves and not against bigger and tougher opposition,” he added.
“When you play against a good team you will try to see how to better yourself just to compete against them and where you want to take your Test cricket you can understand all those things. The value of Test cricket will go down if this happens as there will be lesser Tests and as the value will get lesser the players will go for white ball cricket,” he said.
This is not the first time the ICC has considered such a move. Over the years, many former cricketers and pundits have suggested a tier-based system with relegation and promotion to make sure as many Tests are meaningful as possible. However, such ideas have often been quickly rejected due to revenue concerns from smaller cricketing nations.
The same issues are likely to be pondered before any possible change comes through after the next World Test Championship cycle which will end in 2027.
