Despite a heavily-compromised first cycle, has the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) given us a taste for what it could become?
England’s tour of India has had enough talking points to last a lifetime.
Controversial pitches have been the headline act, followed by some sublime spin bowling, lacklustre batting, and a sprinkling of DRS debate to top it off.
But ahead of Thursday’s fourth and final Test, another prominent theme that’s emerged is the carrot on offer for India: win, and they’re through to the first ever WTC final.
Conversely, an England win would propel rivals Australia into the showpiece final slated for Lord’s in June.
The irony of this second scenario isn’t lost on either nation.
While there was a degree of negativity about the WTC when the cycle began in August 2019 — which only increased as the rules were changed midway through — the closeness of the top four sides as we speak (India, New Zealand, Australia and England) has without doubt helped its cause.
Importantly, it’s given the ICC exactly what they wanted: contextual importance of bilateral series for ‘external’ fans of the two teams playing.
We’ve seen that with Australia in recent weeks.
Normally, the sight of England reduced to 2/0 after three balls would elicit a healthy dose of amusement.
And while this was still the case, on social media and message groups I also noted some disappointment.
As India began to dominate the series, Australia’s hopes of reaching the final were diminishing.
Of course, there’s some who can’t stomach a ladder system for Test cricket.
The game has survived for almost 150 years with standalone series, each interesting in their own right without the need for ‘context’.
That cynicism was only heightened when, owing to cancelled series, the goalposts were shifted so that teams were ranked on a percentage of points earned rather than total points.
For this first cycle, I can understand the scepticism.
But the current situation, with the second finalist (alongside New Zealand) still yet to be determined, it also gives us a taste of what it *could* be.
And that is, a greater degree of interest from fans outside the two teams playing.
The players appear invested, too.
Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson admitted the WTC was at the front of mind ahead of recent series against the West Indies and Pakistan.
“Coming into our summer it was going ‘right, if we win these four Tests, that gives us an opportunity to be there [in the final],” he said.
“We did manage to do that and play some good cricket along the way and it’s really exciting to get the nod.”
Williamson also said the prospect of making the final has lent itself to more sporting declarations.
Kane Williamson has had a standout year for the Black Caps. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
“You saw perhaps some declarations that were quite fair because you understood the carrot at the end was far more valuable than just perhaps this one period of cricket. You really wanted to push for the opportunity to win it. We saw that as well in the Australia-India series in that last Test, which I thought was great for the game.”
Beyond the first cycle, however, the possibility remains that the ICC will dump the WTC altogether.
New chair Greg Barclay questioned in November whether it was “fit for purpose”.
“Covid has probably highlighted some of the shortcomings we have got with the World Test Championship,” Barclay said.
“From an idealistic point of view it probably had a lot of merit but I do just query in a practical sense whether it’s actually achieved what it was intended to do. Let’s get through the next little bit, do what we can taking into account Covid and the ability to reallocate points or whatever, but my personal view is once we’ve done that we’re probably back to the drawing board.”
It would be a shame to not give the WTC some proper room to breathe.
It should be retained for the 2021-23 cycle, and judged upon that — not the compromised cycle we’ve seen in 2019-21.
Hi John....Agree it wasnt as simple as i stated but I will stand by the statement that it was a choice for CA not to tour.....Isolation and quarantine are available in SA
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
The idea has some merit save for the already overpacked cricket schedule. However, until all test series are the same number of tests, it will no fairer than a rain shortened T20 game. Of course, this will never happen so the WTC will be a flawed product and another reason for pitches to be less than test quality. Do home countries lose points for preparing crap pitches, either too lively, too flat or too crumbly? If they do then maybe it has more merit.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Not quite the whole story there Jacko. No test series has commenced in South Africa since the African strain of Covid appeared on the scene. Sri Lanka played a 2 test series there in late December '20/early Jan'21. By the end of that series the news of the African strain had been made known. When CA decided to postpone the tour, South Africa was in the middle of a second wave of Covid cases. Most reasonable people would recognise that.
I hate slow over rates...I have a simple solution.....start time 11.am...30 overs bowled....Have lunch then start at 1.40pm.....30 overs more...have tea then restart at 4pm.....30 overs more...go home..... Simple process and if a bowling team takes 20 mins extra to bowl the 30 overs then they lose 20 mins off their break....so simple and I garrantee we soon see 90 overs a day
Aus decided their own destiny Basil...Aus knew that slow over rates would lose them points so its up to them.... If Aus wins or draws the series v India they are in......If Aus beats SA they are in......Thats called controlling your own destiny and Aus failed to do that.......Did any other teams lose points because of slow over rates in the complete championship? Now Aus is relying on another team to do the job for them....
Micko
Roar Rookie
The away side (second place) has won a fair few finals from memory. So it works well for me. Everyone knows what's at stake. The away team know nothing less than a victory is required.
DAVEC
Roar Rookie
its a joke should be judges on home and away series
JGK
Roar Guru
I think you are agreeing with me.
To me its time for a organised comp of equality rather than the big 3 dictating when they play each other and the rest just get whats left over...Bring in Ireland ..Have a 11 team comp of equal games for everyone..Play each other equally over 3 years and have the final after that.....
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I hope they win it. I am not a big fan the Big 3's unbridled arrogance.
Rowdy NZ is probably also scratching their heads about getting in to the final as well...But all you can say is that although the system may not be perfect its the system that all sides worked under and NZ is one of the sides in the final and they deserve to be there. As others have already said if they win it will be their biggest achievement in Cricket so far so from theirs and my pov its important. To me as a 50yr fan it will be exciting win lose or draw....Go Black caps!!! :happy: :happy:
Totally disagre...Over rates are 100% within the control of the captain and the players...100%
Basil Baborgnay
Roar Rookie
if you add back the points for the slow over rate then Aus + NZ would be equal on the WTC table, but Aus would be ahead on countback. This is a statement of fact so I'm not sure why you disagree with it?
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
No!!! Too much international cricket has impacted negatively on domestic cricket worldwide..
JGK
Roar Guru
Winning or losing is beyond your control. Over rates aren’t.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I'm not sure NZ has the same outlook as the other 3. I'm glad NZ is in the final something the Big 3 probably still are scratching their head over.
Australia’s tour to South africa has been cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic. No it wasnt...there has been something like 9 test series played and an IPL plus many international players playing in different countries around the world during Covid...It was a choice by CA not a decision forced by Covid...
You mean big 4 Rowdy? NZ is in the final already...
2 things Im not in agreeance with Basil...1 is that slow over rates cost Aus the appearance in the final as if they had won the series v India that would be irrellivent...2 you are presuming Aus was able to bat at a slower tempo and get more runs than they got..... If Aus had beaten India 2-1 instead of the other way round they would be far better placed to be in the final and also perhaps they should have found a way to go to SA when you consider what India went thru to come to Aus during C19 and what many other sports have also achieved during the same time...
So losing was probably more responsible for not being locked in than slow over rates was? Win and you get way more points than were taken because of slow over rates?