Former Indian cricketer and coach Ravi Shastri has proposed a radical restructuring of Test cricket to sustain its competitiveness and allure. Speaking at the World Cricket Connects event organized by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) at Lord’s, Shastri put forth two key recommendations.
Ravi Shastri’s suggestions to revive Test Cricket
Shastri advocates bringing down the count of Test-playing nations from the current 12 to a more streamlined six or seven. By concentrating Test cricket among the strongest teams, the format would retain its competitive edge and attract more spectators and viewers. The decline in interest outside traditional powerhouses like India, England, and Australia can be addressed by focusing on quality over quantity.
“When you don’t have quality, that is when the ratings drop, there are fewer people in the crowd, it’s meaningless cricket, which is the last thing sport wants,” Shastri emphasized.
“You have 12 Test match teams. Bring it down to six or seven and have a promotion and relegation system. You can have two tiers but let the top six keep playing to sustain the interest in Test cricket. You can spread the game in other formats, like T20,” Shastri added.
Shastri proposes implementing a promotion and relegation system within Test cricket. Teams would be divided into two tiers, allowing the top six to continue playing at the highest level while providing a pathway for emerging teams. This meritocratic approach ensures that only the best teams compete, maintaining high standards of play.
Ravi Shastri suggests implementing a two-tier promotion and relegation system in the WTC to sustain interest in Test cricket.
He adds that cricket, in general, can be promoted in other formats like T20. pic.twitter.com/Btq3NSTBJM
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Test cricket, despite its rich history of dramatic matches, faces challenges in an era dominated by fast-paced T20 leagues. The popularity of T20 formats has led to declining interest in traditional red-ball cricket. Shastri’s endorsement of a tiered system adds weight to ongoing discussions about the format’s future.
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