ICC forms committee to explore two-tier Test system; Champions League T20 to re-Launch

An eight-member working group, headed by ICC's new chief executive officer, Sanjog Gupta, has been formed by the game's worldwide governing body to study the prospect of reorganising Test cricket into a two-tier system.

The committee was established during ICC's annual general meeting in Singapore under the all-Indian leadership of the chair, Jay Shah and Gupta, who was appointed as CEO earlier this month.

Other members of the group include England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive Richard Gould and the Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive Todd Greenberg, according to a report in 'The Guardian'.

"Any changes would be introduced for the next cycle of the World Test Championship, due to run from 2027 to 2029, and involve an expansion from the current nine-team format to two divisions of six," the report read. By the end of the year, the working group is expected to present its recommendations to the board.

Champions League T20 reboot on the cards

According to certain reports, the Champions League T20 will once again be a season filled with exciting cricket matches. Major cricketing nations supported the idea to bring back the men's franchise-based T20 league during the ICC's annual conference in Singapore, according to The Age.

2008 saw the launch of the Champions League T20, and the first competition took place in 2009. After failing to secure the IPL, broadcaster ESPN Star invested around $1 billion in rights and opted to quit due to growing financial difficulties, which led to its discontinuation in 2014.

According to sources, the majority of Member nations strongly support the plan to reinstate the Champions League T20 at the International Cricket Council's annual summit in Singapore. In order to change cricket's schedule starting in 2027, the ICC has also chosen to establish an eight-member working committee. 

The working committee that will submit its conclusions and suggestions to the ICC Board, which is chaired by Jay Shah, will include Sanjog Gupta, the recently hired chief executive of the ICC.

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