One-off Tests likely to become new WTC format norm
In what could mark one of the most significant shifts in modern Test cricket, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is reportedly preparing to introduce one-off Test matches as a regular feature of the next World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. The aim is to breathe fresh life into the long format, especially by making it more inclusive for financially constrained and lower-ranked full-member nations.
According to an exclusive report by The Telegraph’s Will Macpherson, the ICC’s working group, headed by former New Zealand batter Roger Twose, presented its early findings during a quarterly meeting in Dubai. The committee has been tasked with reviewing the WTC structure and international calendar, with a final decision on the changes expected by March 2026.
The existing nine-team league format has drawn repeated criticism for its structural rigidity and the limited involvement of smaller cricketing nations. Each team is currently required to play six series and a minimum of 12 Tests, with win percentage determining standings. But this model has excluded full members like Zimbabwe, Ireland, and Afghanistan from full participation.
By allowing single-Test “series” to count toward WTC standings, the ICC hopes to remove longstanding logistical and financial obstacles. These one-off fixtures could be added to limited-overs tours and make it more viable for stronger cricketing nations to face smaller teams. For instance, a team visiting England might add a one-off red-ball Test against Ireland, or one touring South Africa could schedule a match in Zimbabwe.
Financial realities force rethink of two-tier concept
The one-match Test concept comes as the ICC quietly shelves earlier discussions around introducing a two-tier WTC structure. That proposal had drawn considerable opposition from both smaller boards—concerned about being sidelined into a lower, less lucrative division—and from top boards worried about the consequences of potential relegation.
Boards such as Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the West Indies voiced strong resistance, and even major cricketing nations acknowledged the risks. As ECB Chairman Richard Thompson told Telegraph Sport, “It is fully understood that the current structure does not work in the way it should and we need to find a fairer, better competition.”
Instead of the two-tier model, the ICC is now favouring an expansion of the existing league to a 12-team competition. This move would formally include Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, and Ireland, with each full-member nation playing at least 12 Tests across the two-year WTC cycle. Series could range from one to five matches.
Traditional rivalries to retain longer series
While the norm for most WTC fixtures could shift to shorter contests, traditional heavyweights like England, Australia, and India are expected to continue playing longer series. One such confirmed development is England’s agreement to host South Africa for a five-Test series in the summer of 2032—the first such series between the two nations since 2004–05.
This future tour had initially been planned for 2028, but cricket’s return to the Olympics in Los Angeles disrupted those arrangements. In the same summer, England also plans to host a one-off Test against Australia to commemorate 150 years since the Ashes’ symbolic origin, dating back to the mock obituary published in The Sporting Times after Australia’s first victory on English soil.
Commemorative and strategic fixtures on the horizon
The 2027 cycle, when these changes are expected to take effect, will also include landmark fixtures designed to elevate the prestige of the format. England is scheduled to play a pink-ball Test against Australia at the MCG in March 2027, celebrating 150 years of Test cricket—the sequel to the centenary Test held in 1977.
Such celebratory matches, combined with the integration of one-off Tests into the competitive WTC landscape, are part of the ICC’s broader plan to modernize the Test calendar while retaining its legacy. Whether this hybrid approach will strengthen global interest in red-ball cricket remains to be seen, but with financial pragmatism and inclusivity at its core, the next phase of the WTC promises to look very different.
