Dave Richardson, the ICC's general manager for cricket, has suggested a two-tier structure for Test cricket, based on teams' strength, to make the format more competitive. Such a move, Richardson said, would create a context for Test cricket, one of the challenges for the ICC going forward.
"It's an important point that Test cricket should be played against teams that are at least competitive with each other," Richardson told Cricinfo. "Ideally, you want to have the top teams playing against each other, and then teams of lesser standing playing against each other, maybe in a second division or a lesser competition such as the Intercontinental Cup. I think that's the challenge for the ICC, that it can create some sort of context for Test cricket both at the higher level and at levels below that."
Probably the right thing to do. Nothing is more annoying to watch(apart from the obvious time waste over 5 days, a dead series where the winner is known even before the first ball is bowled and the teams are just going through the motions. I for one don't think Bangladesh should even be playing Test cricket, but now that they are, they should not be playing the top teams.
The ICC has been working over the last year towards lending context and meaning to Test cricket to make it more competitive and attractive for spectators. Last year, officials had discussed the possibility of holding a Test championship where the TV revenue flows into a common pool. But the idea was shot down primarily by India and England, who would end up contributing as bulk of that money. The other significant idea to be discussed is for countries to designate Tests between top cricketing nations as full-fledged five-Test "icon series". India and England have already signed one such agreement.
- Umpire decision review system rolout permanently from October.
- A strong look at holding Day/Night Test Cricket matches. The only hindrance is the colour of the ball.
- Greater rights to the on-field umpire to take a call on bad light. The players will no longer be asked regarding bad light and the umpires will go off only when the conditions are deemed to be "dangerous" and not "unsuitable" as it stands now.
- Fines for slow over-rates will be doubled and a captain of a team guilty of three over-rate fines in the same format in a rolling 12-month period will be automatically suspended for one match.