Two-Tier Test System Could Work If ‘Big 3’ Send ‘A’ Teams to Play Smaller Nations: Former Cricketer

The sport of cricket has reached another crossroad as it considers the future of its traditional, long format game.

Beau Webster of Australia bats during day three of the Fifth Men's Test Match in the series between Australia and India at Sydney Cricket Ground in Australia on Jan. 5, 2025. Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Former Indian cricket player and commentator, Atul Wassan, says splitting test match cricket into two divisions will only work if the sport’s most powerful teams send secondary “A” teams to face off with weaker countries.

The recently completed Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia broke attendance records locally and sparked much interest in the traditional five-day Test match. The 3-1 victory to Australia over five tests had all the best highs and lows of the format.

However, such series are few and far between, and currently only matches between the “Big Three” India, Australia, or England garner enough audience interest to be profitable for broadcasters.

One suggestion recently mooted by media reports, is for more series to be played between the “Big Three” and other higher ranking nations, and for other Test nations to play in a second tier.

There are 12 Test nations, including New Zealand, Ireland, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

However, Wassan dismissed the concept in its current form, saying, “It won’t work.”

“Who is going to come to watch the tier two teams? The money is going to come from the ‘Big Three,’ or rather, the ‘Big One’ [India],” he told The Epoch Times.

Former Indian cricketer Atul Wassan, who bowled on two Indian tours, circa 1990. Ben Radford/Getty Images

Wassan said a two-tier system could work if Australia, India, and England sent their second-best players in an “A” team to compete against emerging nations as a way to foster growth and interest.

He also said developing country and newer team Afghanistan was admitted too quickly, and called for cricket boards to provide more funding to nurture Test specialists.

T20 Too Lucrative to Ignore

The advent of T20—a shorter version of a cricket match played over three hours—and its record crowd numbers and big pay packets for players, has sent Test match cricket (played over five days potentially) into a further existential spiral.

For cricketing nations like the West Indies, or Pakistan—already struggling with severe management issues—T20 has become too easily lucrative to ignore, while Test cricket steadily becomes an afterthought.

“Long-format cricket is dying. It is difficult to sell long-form cricket until you move to pink ball cricket or [play] in the evening,” Wassan said, in reference to recent innovations in Australia to spice up the format.

“Most of the big players don’t want to play Test cricket because the low-hanging fruit [T20] is enticing everybody. They believe, ‘We can get more money and more fame for just a 20-over thrash.’”

Examples of T20’s pull are plenty, just last year, South Africa sent a severely weakened team to play New Zealand because its T20 competition would not release its top players.

It’s also part of a wider malaise impacting sports globally with organising bodies creating shorter, bite-sized versions of their events to appeal to new audiences who are often time-poor or may have shorter attention spans due to the impact of modern entertainment and convenience—think flag football, and 3x3 basketball.

Meanwhile, Wassan also criticised the quality of what Test cricket is played nowadays.

“Even in rain-struck matches, we now see games ending in two, or two and a half days,” he said.

Shastri Backs Plan, Holding Seeks Balance

Former Indian test player and coach Ravi Shastri, supported the two-tier idea, saying it is essential for the survival of Test cricket.

“The top teams play against each other more often, so there is a contest. You want contests,” Shastri said during an interview with SEN Radio.

Legendary West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding weighed in on the matter, suggesting some alterations.

“What I suggested then was two divisions of six, with promotion and relegation, played over a three or four-year cycle,” Holding wrote in a column for The Telegraph.

He added that top teams should play lower-ranked teams at least once per cycle to maintain balance and fairness.

Holding raised concerns about the economic disparities the two-tier system could exacerbate.

“If there is no promotion and relegation, the top division will just keep on making all the money. The bottom division will get poorer, and teams will disappear,” he said.