WTC – It seemed like it was a failed format – Aakash Chopra

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has questioned International Cricket Council’s decision to continue with the same format of ICC World Test Championship. ICC released the FTP 2024-2031 in which they decided that the WTC will continue after every two years.

However, the governing body didn’t rectify the shortcomings, which were palpable in the ongoing 2019-21 cycle. A lot of cricket pundits had questioned the scoring system of the World Test Championship as the five-match Test series holded the same number of points as a two-match series.

The maximum points in WTC series was 120 and thus it was tad unfair for teams who played more five-match series as in such a scenario a win in one Test gave the team 24 points whereas a win in a two-match series gave a team 60 points.

In fact, as the teams were not able to complete their matches due to Covid-19, the ICC decided to change the scoring system to percentage points. ICC World Test Championship Finals will be hosted in 2025, 2027, 2029 and 2031

“The World Test Championship will continue in the same shape and form. Every second year you will get a World Test champion. It seemed like it was a failed format, that it was not going well but ICC has decided that they will continue the same way,” said Chopra on his YouTube channel.

“For now it is being said that the same number of teams will play and the same number of series, six series in all – three home and three away. So, probably an attempt has not been made to rectify the flaws,” added Aakash Chopra.

In fact, Chopra raised doubts whether the series of every team in the new cycle of WTC will have the same number of matches.

“Will the six series have at least the same number of matches, I still doubt it. Because the Ashes will be five matches, India-Australia will be four matches and India-England will be five matches,” said Chopra.

“Then India-Bangladesh and India-West Indies will remain two matches. New Zealand will again play a two-match series and then we will cry that what you are doing, this is not fair. You have given the same number of points for home and away wins and you are playing only six series where all teams have not played against each other,” signed off Aakash Chopra.