ICC Likely To Make Big Change To Test Cricket, India, Australia And England To Be Exempted From New Rule: Reports

The International Cricket Council (ICC), led by Jay Shah, is trying to make new changes to the sport. The ICC recently made notable changes to the new ball rule in ODIs. According to the new rule, two new balls will be used from either end till the 34th over of the game. After the culmination of the 34th over, the fielding side will have to choose only one ball, which will be used till the final over of the game.

The ICC was severely criticized in the past for formulating laws that work in favor of the batsmen, but they are now starting to change their approach a bit. The biggest challenge that the apex global body faces is to keep One Day Internationals and Test cricket alive. In the age of fast-paced T20Is, people have started to lose their interest a bit in both these formats, and the ICC is constantly working towards keeping them alive.

Four-Day Test Matches To Become The New Norm: Reports

It is being reported that the International Cricket Council is ready to sanction four-day Tests for smaller nations in the 2027-29 World Test Championship cycle. The report also states that the big three – India, Australia, and England – might be exempted from the rule change. The ICC is looking at this rule as a way in which smaller nations can play more Test matches and longer series.

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'During discussions last week at the WTC final at Lord's, the ICC chair, Jay Shah, is understood to have expressed his support for four-day Tests, with a view to sanctioning them in time for the 2027-29 WTC cycle. England, Australia, and India would still be permitted to schedule five-Test series of five-day matches for the Ashes, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and the newly named Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy,' read a report in The Guardian.

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No Changes To The Existing WTC 2025-27 Format

Even if the International Cricket Council (ICC) decides to implement this rule, there will be no changes made to the existing World Test Championship 2027 format. The 2027 cycle of the World Test Championship starts with Sri Lanka hosting Bangladesh in a two-Test series. England, Australia, and India will continue to play five-match home and away Test series against each other.