Shastri calls for fewer Test teams at MCC gathering

Restricting Test cricket to six or seven teams and using the 20-overs format as the vehicle to spread the game were some of the views aired at a symposium organised by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on Sunday.
Test cricket’s dwindling appeal outside India, England and Australia has coincided with the proliferation of lucrative T20 leagues across the world.
Although Test cricket at the top level still often produces drama, the brevity and action-packed nature of 20-overs cricket has quickly made it the preferred format for the game’s new fans.
Former India player and coach Ravi Shastri said Test cricket must remain competitive and the only way to do so was to have only the relatively stronger teams competing in this format.
“When you don’t have quality, that is when the ratings drop, there are fewer people in the crowd, its meaningless cricket, which is the last thing sport wants,” Shastri said at World Cricket Connects, an event at Lord’s hosted by the MCC.
“You have 12 Test match teams. Bring it down to six or seven and have promotion and relegation system.
“You can have two tiers but let the top six keep playing to sustain the interest in Test cricket.
“You can spread the game in other formats, like T20,” added the former India coach.
Former Australia batter and coach Justin Langer said while he loved T20 leagues, he wanted international cricket to be protected for the impact in can have on young people.
He cited examples including West Indies fast bowler Shamar Joseph’s memorial debut series in Australia this year.
“...it had Australia enthralled and it brought the Caribbean to life,” Langer said.
“Last week we saw a million people turn up to see India celebrated for winning the World Cup.
“That is bilateral cricket and international cricket.”
Summing up the themes, MCC President Mark Nicholas said the views were not to suggest Test cricket was unwarranted, and that cricket needed money to sustain itself.
“T20 cricket is the behemoth that everybody wants,” he said.
“It is where the new market is, where the fans are and where the money is.
“In cricket, money is seen as a dirty word but it shouldn’t be because it is the only way to sustain the game.”
A Question of EconomicsSegment titled ‘A Question of Economics’ examined the financial landscape of cricket, ranging from the importance and quality of bilateral matches, maintaining fan interest, grassroots investment and the unique challenges faced by cricket in different parts of the world.
The discussion among cricket administrators highlighted key issues and opportunities within the sport. Sourav Ganguly, formerly the President of the BCCI, emphasised the complexities of cricket administration and the need for high-quality, context-rich games, particularly bilateral matches.
ECB Chair Richard Thompson stressed the importance of inclusivity and meaningful competitions, warning that fans lose interest when top-tier teams don’t compete regularly. He also highlighted the role of market demand and timing in commercial success.