More Points For Winning Away Tests? ICC Can Make Major Changes To World Test Championship Rules: Report
The ICC may change the World Test Championships points system, considering opponent strength and extra points for away wins. India, England, and Australia are unhappy with the current system.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is reportedly considering major changes to its points system for the World Test Championships (WTC) from the next cycle during its meetings in Zimbabwe over the weekend.
According to the Guardian, the world body has been discussing a new system to tally points for a long time. Now, it could go towards a method ‘similar to that used in rugby union, while weighting points for wins based on the strength of opponents and adding extra points for winning away from home’.
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The current WTC system awards 12 points for a win, six for a tie and four for a draw. There’s no difference in points for home or away matches. It is said to have made the Big Three — India, England and Australia — discontent because they feel ‘disadvantaged as they play more games against each other’, per the report.
The next cycle begins with India touring England for a five-match series in June, five days after the conclusion of the final for the 2023-2025 cycle between South Africa and Australia at Lord’s in London.
“South Africa’s achievement in reaching this year’s final led to some resentment as they did so without playing England or Australia. Series wins against West Indies, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, a draw against India and defeat in India yielded enough points for the Proteas to reach the final for the first time," the report said.
The report added that Cricket Australia (CA) has also proposed a two-tier system for the WTC, which is likely to be put on hold for now because the world body needs more time to figure out the sporting and financial implications of the system. The report said the proposal could be on the agenda ahead of the 2027-2029 WTC cycle.
“Rather than expanding to two divisions of six by adding Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe to the WTC, the next edition running from this summer until 2027 will retain its existing nine-team format," said the report.
CA wants England, Australia and India to be part of the first tier in its proposed new system so they could play against each other even more. The other Test-playing countries have expressed their reservations about this system because they feel it might leave them further behind the Big Three.
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