The Inaugural World Test Championship

[TheJediBrah]

Yeah that's actually a very good point. You can theoretically guarantee someone with a good rotation can make the final, but not guarantee that they'll win it. But it doesn't really solve the issue if it's an Asian team v non-Asian team.

Say it's Aus v India, just because it's a neutral venue doesn't mean it's fair. If it's in Eng, SA, NZ then Aus have a huge advantage. Likewise if it's in SL, BD then India have a huge advantage.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Also you'd need sporting pitches otherwise the same issue we have with the Shield final could arise, ie. the team that finished on top only needs a draw and it ruins the match from the get go with only 1 team needing to force a win.

 

[S.Kennedy]

I went through it and it is a dog's dinner of a competition format.

I imagine a lot of cricket tragics will simply ignore the thing which is basically what we already do with the current test championship, and did for Strauss's Super Series that was rolled-out for Sri Lanka/Pakistan, with which everybody disregarded or just plain forgot (about) and treated as traditional bilaterals.

They'd have to give this one a much bigger push than the current test championship, marketing wise, trophy wise - obviously you'd have the uniqueness of ''a final''.

 

[Daemon]

At this point the #1 spot in the ICC rankings is more valuable that the championship. The latter does make things a bit more fun though.

 

[Bolo]

You can't fix this 100%, but as a partial solution, doctor the pitch. Greentop in Asia, dry pitch outside. Still gives someone an advantage, but not so extreme as home advantage. Playing on an English pitch that offers turn wouldnt hugely favour AUS or India.

 

[TheJediBrah]

You can't fix this 100%, but as a partial solution, doctor the pitch. Greentop in Asia, dry pitch outside. Still gives someone an advantage, but not so extreme as home advantage. Playing on an English pitch that offers turn wouldnt hugely favour AUS or India.

Great solution but would never happen

 

[Bolo]

Why not? BCCI will probably get their way for home advantage, but England are the other forerunner. If BCCI accepted this, I'd imagine it would be with the caveat of browner than usual pitches.

Greentop in India is the other best option for a combination of best crowds and most neutral/chance of result pitches.

Venue is whichever one of them don't make it.

Host country forfeits most of the earnings to stop too much politicing.

 

[Black_Warrior]

On CW, sure. Not for the fans they want to bring back to test cricket.

Plus, in a way it also incentivizes teams to become better suited for different conditions. Obviously this doesn't work in the short term but perhaps in the long run it might become an important part of how teams train and coaching philosophy.

Agreed. It's a step in the right direction and a much needed response to Test cricket increasingly becoming irrelevant and unappealing to a large segment of Cricket's market. It carries most of the flaws of the old system, but on a day when I'm feeling hopeful, it can get better over the years.

 

[Flem274*]

why not just rotate it like we do with world cups?

then we could get some hilarious match ups. Aus v England on an Indian bunsen for example.

 

[Daemon]

God I hope all this somehow leads to an India Pak final

 

[harsh.ag]

Oh god that would be awesome.

Best possible way to get "fans" back in as well.

 

[StephenZA]

God I hope all this somehow leads to an India Pak final

That would have to be played at Lords? Else maybe Dubai still counts as neutral?

 

[TheJediBrah]

Ind/Pak at Lords would be perfect. No advantage for either side.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Winner takes Kashmir.

 

[Daemon]

Winner takes Kashmir.

And the Kohinoor

 

[Gnske]

Winner takes Kashmir.

Why would the winner get some of Pakistan's land?

 

[Starfighter]

The Wikipedia edit histories for a couple of Kashmiri locations would have me believe that they change control daily.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Why would the winner get some of Pakistan's land?

I've started something here, haven't I?

 

[Borges]

I've started something here, haven't I?

Yes. Well done. Hopefully, this would divert the attention of the rabidly English (we are absolutely the greatest)
and Australian (no, we would be good too when our banned cheats and injured bowlers came back) from the dismal ODI thread.

 

[vcs]

God I hope all this somehow leads to an India Pak final

Dammit the Champions Trophy wounds are still raw for me.

Hope someone smashes them.