The World Test Championship format gets a brutal review in this year’s Wisden, calling it a “shambles masquerading as a showpiece.” The cricket bible, fresh off the shelves, slams the current structure and urges a four-year revamp. Wisden editor Lawrence Booth uses World Test Championship format twice in his notes, clearly fed up with the mess.
Right now, nine teams play an uneven two-year fixture list, and the top two face off in the final. South Africa reached this year’s final without playing England or Australia. Booth proposes a four-year, round-robin format instead, with each team playing everyone else home and away. Cricket Army fans know it’s time the ICC stopped treating Test cricket like an afterthought.
Booth doesn’t hold back, saying the format looks “designed on the back of a fag packet.” He wants the ICC, led by new chair Jay Shah, to double the tournament length and bring consistency. The big hurdle? India’s refusal to tour Pakistan. During the recent Champions Trophy, India played entirely in Dubai, showcasing their dominant boardroom influence.
Wisden also delivers heartfelt tributes to the late Graham Thorpe, with moving words from Alec Stewart and Amanda Thorpe. Amanda shares a raw perspective on mental health, hoping to spread awareness after Graham’s passing. “He didn’t deserve it. No one does,” she writes.
This year’s Wisden cricketers of the year include Surrey trio Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, and Dan Worrall, alongside Liam Dawson and Sophie Ecclestone. Jasprit Bumrah and Smriti Mandhana are crowned the world’s best.
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