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| ICC Test Championship | |
|---|---|
| Name | ICC Test Championship |
| Administrator | International Cricket Council |
| Cricket format | Test cricket |
| First | 2019–21 |
| Last | 2021–23 |
| Next | 2023–25 |
| Trophy | ICC Test Championship mace |
ICC Test Championship
The ICC Test Championship is an international Test cricket competition administered by the International Cricket Council to determine the leading men's Test team through a league-style competition and a final. It links the bilateral England cricket team–Australia national cricket team rivalry, the India national cricket team schedule, and fixtures involving the South Africa national cricket team, New Zealand national cricket team, Pakistan national cricket team, Sri Lanka national cricket team, West Indies cricket team, and Bangladesh national cricket team. The competition interacts with events such as the ICC Cricket World Cup, the ICC World Test Championship Final, and the wider Marylebone Cricket Club season calendar.
The Championship formalizes the standing of Test cricket nations through a points-based table reflecting results across bilateral series like the Ashes series, the Border–Gavaskar Trophy, and the Frank Worrell Trophy. It complements multi-team events such as the ICC Champions Trophy and operates alongside domestic competitions including the County Championship and the Ranji Trophy. Major venues for matches include Lord's, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Eden Gardens, Kingsmead, and Basin Reserve.
Discussions about a formal Test league involved stakeholders such as the England and Wales Cricket Board, Board of Control for Cricket in India, and the Cricket South Africa administration following debates after the 2007 Cricket World Cup and proposals from entities like the Marylebone Cricket Club and former International Cricket Council chairs. The Championship concept drew influence from formats such as the ICC Test rankings and the historical evolution of contests like the Packer Revolution era and the World Series Cricket experiments. The inaugural cycle was contested amid global events including the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting touring schedules and prompting coordination with biosecure protocols developed by boards such as the New Zealand Cricket and Cricket Australia.
The competition uses a league table where nations earn points for series outcomes and match results in Test cricket; the top two teams contest the Championship final. Points allocation derives from predetermined values for wins, draws, and series outcomes, influenced by earlier systems such as the ICC Test rankings methodology. The format accounts for series length discrepancies between two-match tours like some Pakistan national cricket team visits and five-match series such as the Ashes series, adjusting points per match to maintain balance across fixtures hosted by boards including the Sri Lanka Cricket and the West Indies Cricket Board.
Participation is principally by the full member nations of the International Cricket Council, encompassing teams governed by entities like the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the England and Wales Cricket Board, and Cricket Australia. Associate members such as Ireland national cricket team and Afghanistan national cricket team have pursued full membership to access Test status and Championship eligibility, reflecting pathways similar to past expansions involving the Zimbabwe cricket team and the Bangladesh national cricket team.
The Championship culminates in a final at a neutral or preselected venue, with the winning side awarded a mace-style trophy and individual honors including a Player of the Series award, a Leading Run-scorer accolade, and a Leading Wicket-taker prize. Past individual awards in related tournaments recall recognitions like the ICC Player of the Year and match honors historically presented during finals at venues such as The Oval and Adelaide Oval.
Statistical records emerging from the Championship overlap with longstanding Test cricket achievements: career aggregates for batsmen such as those approaching milestones set by Sachin Tendulkar, counting feats comparable to those of Ricky Ponting and Jacques Kallis, and bowling tallies in the vein of Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, and James Anderson. Team records reference dominant campaigns by sides like India national cricket team and Australia national cricket team, while match-level extremes reflect performances at venues including Chinnaswamy Stadium and Wankhede Stadium.
The Championship reshaped international scheduling negotiations among boards such as the New Zealand Cricket and the Pakistan Cricket Board and influenced broadcast contracts with broadcasters like Sky Sports and Star Sports. Analysts from outlets including ESPNcricinfo and commentators such as former players from England cricket team and West Indies cricket team debated its effects on bilateral relations, player workload management by franchises like Indian Premier League owners, and its role in preserving the status of Test cricket amid the rise of Twenty20 International tournaments and franchise leagues such as the Big Bash League.
Category:International cricket competitions