The 1st Test amongst New Zealand and Pakistan at Mount Maunganui was a thriller, with New Zealand eking out a win in the final session of play. In Australia, a fascinating contest is ongoing, with the hosts winning the 1st Test in Adelaide and India spectacularly bouncing back to level the series in Melbourne. The charm and romance of Test cricket continues, notwithstanding many premature obituaries for the game’s purest format.
Beyond the aesthetics that Test cricket presents, the race is finding tighter as regards to which teams would qualify for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, to be played at Lord’s in June. At the moment, it appears like a 3-way contest amongst Australia, India and New Zealand, even though England, as well, have a likelihood.
As per the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) WTC standings, India have the highest quantity of points, 390, followed by New Zealand, 360, and Australia, 322. But Australia prime the table for the reason that in November final year, the game’s worldwide body decided to adjust the qualification structure to make it percentage points (PCT)-primarily based rather of absolute points. Some series for the duration of the ongoing WTC cycle had to be cancelled for the reason that of the pandemic and the ICC’s Cricket Committed headed by Anil Kumble decided to make the Covid-forced cancelled matches null and void and figure out the WTC league standings only from the matches played. Although, the original WTC regulation dictated for points split for abandoned matches, the worldwide body’s Chief Executives’ Committee and the Board ratified the adjust.
This requires us into the realms of confusion. First, a bit on the changed qualification structure… According to the ICC, it will be determined by the percentage of points earned from the matches played. Percentage of points (PCT) is the percentage of points won out of total quantity of points contested. Each series is allotted 120 points. For instance, a two-Test series, which is the minimum requirement, has 60 points for a Test win. In a 4-Test series like the ongoing one particular amongst Australia and India, 30 points are allotted for a Test victory.
Based on that Australia are atop the table with a PCT of .766 (76.6%), followed by India, .722 (72.2%) and New Zealand, .667 (66.7%). If New Zealand win the second Test against Pakistan, they will finish their WTC assignments with 420 absolute points from 5 series played, or a total of 600 points contested. That will take their PCT to .700 (70%).
As for India, they will play six series in the ongoing cycle, contesting for 720 points, and they will need to get previous 504 absolute points to trump the Kiwis. India will play six more Tests in this WTC cycle – two in Australia and 4 at residence against England. Four wins, or 3 wins and 3 draws will safe their qualification for the final.
In a nutshell, the ICC has forced prevalent cricket lovers to have at least some simple understanding of mathematics to completely comprehend the changed qualification structure. Cricket in any case is a tiny difficult sport with an overbearance of laws. This is a purpose why men and women from non-cricketing nations struggle to realize the game. Instead of simplifying items, the ICC has created the WTC equation more difficult for casual fans.
If Virat Kohli finds the changed qualification structure “confusing”, then fans likely are struggling even more. “It is definitely surprising because we were told that points are a matter of contention for the top two teams qualifying in World Test championships and now suddenly it has become percentage out of nowhere, so it is confusing and difficult to understand why,” the India captain had mentioned ahead of the 1st ODI against Australia.
The ICC’s apparent inaction in terms of advertising the WTC is one more challenge. The game’s governing body spends a lot of time, revenue and power to market its other worldwide events – T20 World Cup and 50-more than World Cup. The WTC was introduced to provide context to bilateral series, with an eye to dwindling stadium attendances. It was a step in the appropriate path. “The games are going to be much more competitive and it brings a lot of purpose to the Test matches you play. It’s the right move and at the absolute right time,” Kohli had mentioned two years ago.
As the race for the WTC final is reaching its climax, the ICC demands to step up. This could be a golden chance to attract the younger audience to Test cricket.