England against expanding squad in Test Championship

The ICC Test Championship is set to expand to 12 full member nations, but there is uncertainty over its implementation. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is likely to keep the competition to nine teams in the next cycle, according to a report by Cricinfo.

The ICC Board meeting for 2026 began in Bali, Indonesia on Wednesday (November 11). The meeting will continue until Sunday. In addition to the future plans for international cricket, important discussions are also expected on the Future Tours Program (FTP) for the 2027-31 period.

According to the report, the proposal to transform the Test Championship into a single 12-team competition has gained much traction in the past year. But doubts have been raised about the implementation of the new plan. If the current structure is maintained, Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan will have to stay out of the Test Championship.

However, there is still a possibility of including Zimbabwe, which would increase the number of participating teams to 10. On the other hand, financial constraints and uncertainty about Ireland's interest in Test cricket complicate their inclusion.

The ECB has opposed increasing the number of teams in the Test Championship, fearing that the extra matches would increase travel pressure for players and could have a negative impact on England's domestic cricket schedule.

However, England are keen to play one-match Test series against Zimbabwe and Ireland outside the championship, although they are reluctant to play against the country in protest at the treatment of women in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.

Zimbabwe have been trying to secure a place in the Test Championship for a long time, but their wait could be even longer if the current structure remains in place. The team has only been able to play two Tests so far this year, despite playing 10 Tests in 2025.

The ICC's Bali meeting will also discuss the plans for the next FTP from 2027 to 2031. Initial agreements have been reached between member countries on most of the issues of the bilateral series. Now the process of finalizing them will be taken forward.

According to Cricinfo, England may tour Zimbabwe in 2028. There is a possibility of hosting at least one Test match there. The two teams have not played a bilateral series on Zimbabwean soil since 2004.

South Africa is also scheduled to tour Zimbabwe to play a Test in 2027. Australia is also likely to visit the country in the next cycle. However, it is not yet certain whether that tour will include a Test match.

A small-scale Test series could also be in the works for the West Indies. The Caribbean Cricket Board is also planning to host white-ball series in Washington DC and Toronto to boost the popularity of cricket in North America.

In this case, they want to leverage their commercial relationship with the Canadian Cricket Board and their connection with the Washington Freedom, a Major League Cricket team that is building a 10,000-seat cricket stadium in Frederick, about 45 miles north of Washington, DC.

Concerns also over the future of ODIs

The ICC meeting will also discuss the future of the three formats of international cricket. A strategic review prepared by global management consultancy McKinsey is scheduled to be presented to the board meeting. It highlights various aspects of the future of Test, ODI and T20 cricket.

There is growing concern about the status of ODI cricket in particular. Questions are being raised about the popularity and future of this format, which is sandwiched between Tests and T20s. There is a possibility that the number of ODI matches will decrease in the next FTP. In that case, most of the ODIs may be organized around the 2031 World Cup.

Meanwhile, the issue of reducing the ICC's over-reliance on broadcasting rights and creating new sources of income may also come up for discussion. In addition, there are also discussions on the distribution of revenue among member countries and whether or not to reduce the financial allocations of the boards in the next cycle.

Will the number of ODI-qualified teams increase?

Several associate member nations have expressed concern over the potential decline in the number of men's ODI teams. Currently, a total of 20 countries, including eight associate members, have ODI status.

However, since the ODI World Cup is one of the ICC's main sources of income, it is believed that the number of teams will be reduced. In fact, a proposal to increase the number of ODI-qualified teams from 20 to 32 has also been discussed. Although the possibility of implementing this plan is currently low.