The International Cricket Council (ICC) is planning to introduce a dedicated fund for Test cricket that can help the format grow outside the Big Three, namely India, Australia and England.
The ICC plans to introduce this concept by 2025 to allow boards outside the Big Three to compete with the various T20 leagues around the world that attract a number of players with their lucrative offerings.
The initiative was driven by Cricket Australia (CA) chairman Mark Baird. Baird is believed to have the necessary support from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
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ICC plans to introduce a dedicated fund to help Test cricket grow beyond the Big Three
The aim of the measure is to create a central fund that would provide players with a standard minimum fee per match, which is around $10,000. A decision is expected to be made this year with the fund expected to be operational from next year.
This move is likely to be much-needed for Test cricket and may entice players to opt for the longer format rather than going out to play the lucrative T20 leagues around the world.
The dedicated fund is expected to be around $15 million. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah and ECB Chairman Richard Thompson are believed to be already in favour of this decision. Jay Shah even spoke publicly about this fund a few days ago to save Test cricket.
The decision is currently at a draft stage and has not been formally debated by the ICC Board or its Executive Committee. However, Baird is confident that the ICC Board will approve it.
Mark Baird on the new concept in Tests
“It’s fantastic to see the Test match fund gaining momentum. We need to remove the barriers and encourage Test cricket to be the best of the best. To retain that history and that legacy, which goes with the new forms of white-ball cricket,” Baird told the Sydney Morning Herald.
There are nine Test-playing nations apart from the Big Three. Those nations typically operate at a loss when it comes to Test cricket, even as hosts. A few months ago, Cricket West Indies (CWI) chief executive Johnny Grave said that the tour of Australia in early 2024 cost the board a loss of US$ 2 million despite West Indies putting in a memorable performance.
Zimbabwe to receive fee for tourist visits
In July 2024, ECB chief executive Richard Gould said Zimbabwe would be paid a “travel fee” when it came to play a one-off Test match in Nottingham from May 22 next year. Gould had floated the idea of hosts paying a certain fee to teams travelling a year earlier.
Currently, West Indies are the team that often faces issues with the availability of their players for international cricket as most of them are contracted in various T20 leagues around the world. If the ICC approves the move, it will be a big relief for West Indies.
