Let's get radical 2: Drastic changes to the Test Arena (a proposal)

[Yankees]

Test matches have no context, and there isn't a WC like champions for the 5-day format (and no, Test mace doesn't count). Well, similar to champions trophy, here's my proposal for a Test Champions trophy:

Preliminary round: Teams ranked 10-12 play each other in a round robin format of 2-games series. Winner is whoever has most # of wins (in the event of a tie, most away wins).

Qualifier: winner from preliminary round joins team ranked 8 and 9 for another round robin series.

Round 1: teams ranked 1-7 and winner of qualifier enter a random draw to determine matchups. Ranks don't matter. Teams matched will play a two-legged tie, with each leg consists of a 3-game series. The winner is whoever has the higher number of wins (out of 6 total games). In the case of a tie, various rules can be used to determine winner starting with away wins (whoever has the higher # of away wins).

Round 2: 4 teams that emerge are drawn up and matched up. Same as round 1.

Round 3: Final two teams play two-legged tie. Winning team is the champion.

Biggest benefit:
+gives context and championship to test game.
+Rankings matter - particularly if you are ranked 8th, 9th.
+doesn't affect Ashes as anytime Aus and Eng matchup, it will be ashes series.
+away performances matter.

[One World]

Actually ICC should scrap U19 World Cup and follow something like this for the age group, having a longer version tournament can be more useful for the U 19 teams.

[al Furqaan]

Umm they are planning a Test League for that very purpose. Its not perfect, but it can be refined in subsequent years.

Top 9 teams play 6 series every two years. Ranks are based on series win-loss records as series length will vary from 2 to 5 games. Top 2 teams will play for a Test championship.

This will mean that all teams will create result oriented pitches. Will really test batting skills.

[Yankees]

Originally Posted by al Furqaan
Umm they are planning a Test League for that very purpose. Its not perfect, but it can be refined in subsequent years.

Top 9 teams play 6 series every two years. Ranks are based on series win-loss records as series length will vary from 2 to 5 games. Top 2 teams will play for a Test championship.

This will mean that all teams will create result oriented pitches. Will really test batting skills.

Test League would be a nice start, but I'm not a fan of it. The whole boards get to decide how many games to play defeats the purpose of having a structured format in the first place.

[Roy_1]

You are on a proposal spree man 😂

I really liked this idea btw, drastic measures need to be taken if we really wanna keep this oldest format of the game alive.

[al Furqaan]

Originally Posted by Yankees
Test League would be a nice start, but I'm not a fan of it. The whole boards get to decide how many games to play defeats the purpose of having a structured format in the first place.

Well I support traditionalism. Ashes must be kept to 5 Tests, and no one wants to watch SL-WI duke it out over 5 Tests. Thus, having the smaller teams stick to 2-3 Tests per series and having the big 4 play 3-5 per series makes the most sense.

Everyone will be based on the 6 League series they play. A 2 match series will count the same as a 5 match one.

I like the idea. Its most practical.

[Eshen]

^^ Who is following that 5-Tests Ashes? Thought it being boring as hell with England being reduced to a junior boys team.

[al Furqaan]

Originally Posted by Eshen
^^ Who is following that 5-Tests Ashes? Thought it being boring as hell with England being reduced to a junior boys team.

England have made a lot of idiotic selections. They are basically playing their A team plus Root has not taken over the way you would expect.

Aussie pace attack is simply too strong.

SA were beaten even more badly in India, but are now comfortably on top. the home team will always make visiting sides look like a kiddie team.