The 2025 World Test Championship final – the first to feature two teams in a summit clash since it began – promises to be a sell-out event, even without England as host. It will also provide a platform to showcase the best of international cricket, with an intriguing new-ball contest between South Africa’s Temba Bavuma and Australia’s dexterous Pat Cummins.
The ICC introduced the competition in an attempt to make Test matches more meaningful and relevant in a world dominated by T20 and one-day tournaments. It works by ensuring all Test series count towards an overall points table, meaning that every single match has some importance. Longer series like the Ashes still carry plenty of weight, but the WTC has given more context to shorter bilateral matches as well.
But the structure does come with some issues. Richer nations with a strong record against other sides can find it difficult to win five-Test series, as they can be scheduled against a weakened opposition or suffer fixture fatigue. Meanwhile, weaker teams with a poor record against top sides may be punished by slow over-rate penalties.
As custodians of the game, it’s vital that the ICC takes a long-term view on this issue. The solution might not be to re-jig the current format, but instead to create a league for tier two teams that allows them to play a set number of games against tier one countries. This would allow them to earn some of the revenue of their more illustrious rivals while not getting overloaded with fixtures.