ICC To Introduce 4-Day Test In Next WTC Cycle; IND, ENG And AUS Could Still Play 5-Day Games – News18

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is reportedly open to allow four-day Tests to be played from the 2027-29 ICC World Test Championship cycle. The move is aimed at enabling smaller teams to play more Tests and host longer series. As per the current WTC cycle, which got underway today, 27 Test series will be played of which 17 will comprise just two matches.
There will be six three-Test series while the likes of India, Australia and England are scheduled to play five-match series against each other.
According to a report in The Guardian, ICC Chairman Jay Shah has shown his support for the four-day Tests for bilateral matches. The cost and time to host traditional five-day match is reportedly a major discouraging factor for smaller teams from hosting Tests.
Sri Lanka allrounder Angelo Mathews recently lamented the lack of Test cricket for teams other than India, Australia and England. In 2025, Sri Lanka are only scheduled to play four Tests.
“I think it’s quite sad to be honest. I mean, the younger generation are urging for more Test cricket. Test cricket is obviously the pinnacle of cricket. We all should push for more Tests. These guys are so enthusiastic about Test cricket," Mathews said.
“I feel there has to be a minimum of 10 matches at least [in a year]. Teams like England, India or Australia are playing 15-plus games a year. Why can’t we play? We can. If we keep pushing, I mean, we have to. We have won World Cups. We have done so much for cricket as a nation, and we deserve to play Test cricket, just like Australia, India and England," he added.
A four-day Test was first sanctioned by ICC in 2017 when South Africa hosted Zimbabwe. England has played two four-day Tests against Ireland in 2019 and 2023 and more recently hosted Zimbabwe.
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In four-day Tests, 98 overs are to be bowled during a day’s play as opposed to 90 overs for a five-day contest.
South Africa recently defeated Australia in the final of the ICC World Test Championship held at Lord’s. This is the first time since 1998 that South Africa have won a major global tournament. The Temba Bavuma-led side is the third different winner of the competition after New Zealand and Australia.
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