“It is often said the ICC has become little more than an events company. The craven reorganisation of the Champions Trophy, with India’s games moved at the 11th hour from Pakistan to the Gulf – three years after the schedule had been agreed by everyone, including Shah’s BCCI – failed to clear even that low bar.
“England and Australia, the only other countries with a hint of clout, acquiesced with barely a squeak. Shah’s coronation – uncontested, naturally – was in no small part a consequence of their refusal to hold India to account. A decade or so earlier, the talk had been of a Big Three takeover. Now, cricket has handed over the only key not already in India’s possession. All hail the Big One.”
Booth describes the World Test Championship as a “shambles masquerading as a showpiece” and an “absurdity” because it is difficult to follow. He described the race to June’s final at Lord’s as “a weird hybrid – like trying to choose between the winner of the 400m hurdles and the 100m sprint”.
“The ICC cannot allow the championship to continue as if designed on the back of a fag packet,” he writes. “Double its length to four years, like football and rugby, and ensure the top nine in the rankings all play each other, home and away, over series of at least three tests.
“As 2024 repeatedly reminded us, test cricket is more competitive than proponents of a two-tier system believe. West Indies prevailed at the Gabba, Sri Lanka at the Oval. Bangladesh won in Pakistan, who came from behind to beat England, who won in New Zealand, who had just won 3-0 in India, who won the first test in Australia, who won three of the next four. Early in 2025, West Indies squared a series in Pakistan. Unpredictability is the essence of sport.
“The response to all this must not be to insist on more, more, more – diluting the marquee series until they lose what makes them special. It must be to resist two divisions and to invest in test cricket everywhere, creating a more attractive proposition for the broadcasters. ICC insiders fear they will get nothing like their £2.4 billion ($5.35b) TV deal that runs out in 2027, with potentially damaging consequences for many test nations. It’s in everyone’s interests to share the love.”
As usual, Wisden named its five cricketers of the year. This award is based exclusively on the English summer, and Surrey dominate, with three of their County Championship hat-trick-winning men’s team celebrated: Gus Atkinson, Jamie Smith and Dan Worrall. The other two are Hampshire all-rounder Liam Dawson and England women’s left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone.
The leading men’s and women’s cricketers in the world were both Indian: the fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and the batter Smriti Mandhana.
