World Test Championship begins with Ashes

 

The opening day of the Ashes series between England and Australia at Edgbaston on Thursday also marks the start of the International Cricket Council's new World Test Championship. 

The aim is to give individual Test series greater context and spark a worldwide revival of interest in the five-day game What is it?

 

The top nine nations will compete in a total of 72 Tests across a two-year period, with the aim of determining the best Test team in the world. 

 

The teams involved will be Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies. 

 

The two teams who top the points table over that period will then play each other in a one-off World Test Championship final at Lord's in June 2021, before a new cycle starts. 

 

Each team will play three series at home and three away, consisting of two, three, four or five Tests. 

There will be 120 points available per series shared out equally over the number of matches -- so a five-Test series has 24 points per match available to the winner and a three-match campaign 40. 

If the match is drawn, points are awarded on a 3:1 points ratio -- so in a Test where 60 points are available for a win, a draw will see both sides take 20. 

 

Matches involving Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe will still have Test status but the results will not be counted in the World Test Championship. 

 

“Test cricket is the pinnacle of our sport,” said England's leading Test wicket-taker, James Anderson, in an ICC statement. 

“It is the very essence of cricket and the majority of players want to strive to play the purist form of the game. The ICC World Test Championship is another brilliant initiative for the sport, adding context and relevance to every Test series. Every Test matters, but even more so now.”

 

Australia captain Tim Paine said: “If the World Test Championship helps to ensure that all countries make Tests a high priority then that has to be good news for the game in general and the continuing health of the format in particular.” India skipper Virat Kohli said: “We are awaiting the ICC World Test Championship with great enthusiasm as it adds context to the longest format of the game. 

 

“Test cricket is very challenging and coming out on top in the traditional form is always highly satisfying. The Indian team has done really well in recent years and will be fancying its chances in the championship. “

Schedule

India

July-August 2019: Two away Tests in West Indies

October-November 2019: Three home Tests against South Africa

November 2019: Two home Tests against Bangladesh

February 2020: Two away Tests in New Zealand

December 2020: Four away Tests in Australia

South Africa

October 2019: Three away Tests in India

December 2019-January 2020 – Four home Tests against England

July-August 2020: Two away Tests in West Indies

January 2021: Two home Tests against Sri Lanka

January-February 2021: Two away Tests against Pakistan

February-March 2021: Three home Tests against Australia

Australia

July-August-September 2019: Five Ashes Tests away in England

November 2019: Two home Tests against Pakistan

December 2019-January 2020: Three home Tests against New Zealand

February 2020: Two away Tests against Bangladesh

November-December 2020: Four home Tests against India

February-March 2021: Three away Tests against South Africa

New Zealand

July-August 2019: Two away Tests in Sri Lanka

December 2019-January 2020: Three away Tests in Australia

February 2020: Two home Tests against India

August-September 2020: Two away Tests in Bangladesh

November-December 2020: Three home Tests against Windies

December 2020: Two home Tests against Pakistan

England

July-August 2019: Five Ashes Tests at home against Australia

December 2019-January 2020: Four away Tests in South Africa

March 2020: Two away Tests in Sri Lanka

June-July 2020: Three home Tests against Windies

July-August 2020: Three home Tests against Pakistan

January-February 2021: Five away Tests in India

Sri Lanka

July-August 2019: Two home Tests against New Zealand

October 2019: Two away Tests against Pakistan

March-April 2020: Two home Tests against England

July-August 2020: Three home Tests against Bangladesh

January 2021: Two away Tests in South Africa

February-March 2021: Two away Tests in West Indies

Pakistan

October 2019: Two home Tests against Sri Lanka

November-December 2019: Two away Tests in Australia

January-February 2020: Two home Tests against Bangladesh

July-August 2020: Three away Tests in England

December 2020: Two away Tests in New Zealand

January-February 2021: Two home Tests against South Africa

Bangladesh

November 2019: Two away Tests in India

January-February 2020: Two away Tests in Pakistan

February 2020: Two home Tests against Australia

July-August 2020: Three away Tests in Sri Lanka

August-September 2020: Two home Tests against New Zealand

January-February 2021: Three home Tests against Windies

Windies

July-August 2019: Two home Tests against India

June-July 2020: Three away Tests in England

July-August 2020: Two home Tests against South Africa

November-December 2020: Three away Tests in New Zealand

January-February 2021: Three away Tests in Bangladesh

February-March 2021: Two home Tests in Sri Lanka