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The proposal for a two-tier Test championship appears to have been put on hold, with the ICC reportedly shifting towards a 12-team World Test Championship (WTC) cycle starting in 2027, as per a PTI report.

This means that all 12 full member nations, including Zimbabwe, Ireland, and Afghanistan, would be included in the WTC, unlike the current scenario where three Test-playing sides are excluded.

A special committee, chaired by former New Zealand batter Roger Twose, had explored the possibility of implementing a promotion-relegation system in Test cricket. However, when the proposal was put forward at the ICC’s recent quarterly meeting in Dubai, it didn’t gain enough support among the member boards.

The most significant opposition reportedly came from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the West Indies, and Pakistan, as they were not ready to be placed in the proposed second tier. Officials from other boards also expressed concerns, worrying about the potential financial and cricketing implications if a historically strong team experienced a poor patch and fell out of the top division.

“There was a discussion on the two-tier system, but certain members were not convinced about the model, and it felt that a 12-team system should be tried out because it gives more chances for teams to play against each other,” a source familiar with the deliberations was quoted by PTI.

During a recent interview, Richard Thompson, the chair of the ECB, highlighted similar worries, suggesting that if England, following a lean patch, were relegated to Division Two, potentially losing out on key series against India and Australia.