Michael Vaughan, a former cricket player for England, acknowledged that a two-tier Test cricket structure might provide more clarity in the red-ball game. The current World Test Championship (WTC), he believed, does not give fans a clear picture of which teams are competing or how the system works.
Fans find it difficult to follow and remain interested in the game when there is no clear framework, according to Michael Vaughan. According to him, a two-league structure would facilitate competition amongst the top teams and provide a legitimate path to the WTC Final.
“If you compare the number of games South Africa has played to those played by Australia, India, or England, I think it’s rather puzzling. The average cricket fan finds it extremely difficult to comprehend which team is the greatest in the world and how the top two teams advance to the championship game. I simply want it to be much more explicit. During England’s lone Test match against Zimbabwe, Vaughan said BBC Sport, “I’d have two leagues.”
“I simply believe that Test cricket need a stronger storyline. “It’s really confusing right now, and the public finds it very difficult to understand,” he continued.
The two-division concept that would divide Test-playing nations is being discussed by the International Cricket Council (ICC), according to The Age. India, England, Australia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and New Zealand would all be included in the proposed tier. Teams from the West Indies, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ireland, and Zimbabwe may be in the second division.
According to reports, the proposal is being considered and is anticipated to be put into action in 2027, following the conclusion of the current WTC cycle. According to reports, early this year, Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) spoke with ICC chairman Jay Shah about the suggested concept.